Dubai, known for its arid climate and high temperatures, was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when heavy rainfall hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), causing disruptions in air travel and leading to extensive flooding throughout the desert nation. The sudden downpour not only halted the vibrant city’s activities but also heightened awareness of climate change’s […]
Dubai, known for its arid climate and high temperatures, was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when heavy rainfall hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), causing disruptions in air travel and leading to extensive flooding throughout the desert nation. The sudden downpour not only halted the vibrant city’s activities but also heightened awareness of climate change’s role in intensifying extreme weather phenomena in the area.
On Tuesday, heavy rainfall necessitated the diversion of numerous incoming flights at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international passengers. The airport, which usually sees over 100 flight arrivals on a typical evening, experienced an unusual suspension of arrivals, resuming gradually after 25 minutes. Although departure flights resumed in the evening, there were significant delays and cancellations in flight operations.
Social media videos depict planes taxiing along inundated runways and vehicles partially submerged in the airport parking lot. The access roads to the airport were also flooded.
Significant infrastructure in the city, such as major shopping centers like Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, experienced flooding, with ankle-deep water reported in at least one Dubai Metro station. Roads gave way, residential areas were underwater, and there were numerous reports of leaks from roofs, doors, and windows in many homes.
The storm’s effects reached beyond Dubai, affecting the whole UAE and neighboring Bahrain with widespread flooding and disruption. Schools throughout the Emirates have been shut down, and with more storms, including hail, predicted for today, authorities have prolonged remote working for government employees, reports AFP.
In Oman, the initial impact of the storms brought severe devastation, with flash floods causing the deaths of 18 individuals, children among them. Bahrain also suffered from flooding as a result of the storms.
Both Oman and the UAE, hosts of the previous year’s COP28 UN climate conference, have warned of the increased likelihood of flooding as a consequence of global warming.
