DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The United Arab Emirates announced on Wednesday that it would spend $544 million to repair the homes of Emirati families after last week's record rains caused widespread flooding that killed four people, including Filipinos, and brought the oil-rich Gulf state to a standstill.

'We learned great lessons in dealing with severe rains,' Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said after a Cabinet meeting, adding that ministers approved '2 billion dirhams to deal with damage to the homes of citizens.'