On Friday night, residents in several districts of Dubai noticed earthquake-like shocks. The root of the activity that occurred shortly before 11 p.m., according to videos obtained nearby, was the ongoing deconstruction of an unfinished real estate project.
People in JVC, The Greens, Dubai Marina, and Barsha Heights reported feeling what appeared to be earthquake activity on social media.
One Reddit user posted a video of late-night demolition action from The Pearl's construction site.
Unfinished structures in the long-abandoned project are being demolished.
Since November, contractors have started demolishing a half-dozen structures in the vicinity with diggers and a wrecking ball.
The Pearl is situated on incredibly desirable land near to The Palm Jumeirah, where property values have skyrocketed since the pandemic's end.
Work on the project ceased about 2011, after several investors in a complicated partnership withdrew. At one point, at least 1,500 residences and seven hotels were planned.
Last year, two Canadian architects made international headlines when they proposed erecting a gigantic resort resembling the Moon on the Pearl site.
Michael Henderson, one of the designers, told The National in September that there were no solid plans for the project, which would cost an estimated $5 billion to build.
"Within the Mena region, we could see Moon being developed in either the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, or Kuwait," he said at the time.
