Check out the videos, Record-Breaking Rainfall Hits Dubai After 75 Years:
Dubai, known for its arid climate and sweltering temperatures, was thrown into disarray on Tuesday by heavy rainfall in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), disrupting air travel and widespread flooding throughout the desert nation. This unexpected downpour not only paralyzed the bustling city but also underscored growing concerns about the escalating influence of climate change on extreme weather occurrences in the area.
Tuesday saw Dubai International Airport, renowned as the world’s busiest hub for international passengers, grappling with significant disruptions due to heavy rainfall. The downpour prompted the diversion of numerous incoming flights as adverse conditions made flight operations perilous. Typically accommodating over 100 flight arrivals on a typical evening, the airport experienced an unusual suspension of arrivals, followed by a gradual resumption 25 minutes later. Although departure flights resumed in the evening, ongoing delays and cancellations persisted, impacting flight operations.
#WATCH⛈️#Dubai‘s streets turned into rivers after heavy #rains and flash floods✈️Dubai airports @DXB urged travelers to stay away from the airport.#extremeweather pic.twitter.com/98IaNmo3jB
— Ifeng News (@IFENG__official) April 17, 2024
#Dubaifloods #dubairain #Dubai pic.twitter.com/f7NrryCQwz
— MOHAMMAD SIDDIQUI (@MFSIDDIQUI12162) April 17, 2024
Videos circulating on social media depicted planes navigating flooded runways and vehicles partially submerged in the airport’s parking lot. Additionally, access roads leading to the airport were also inundated, further illustrating the extent of the flooding caused by the heavy rainfall.
#dubairain #Dubai #Dubaifloods pic.twitter.com/rcpDRDxgvD
— MOHAMMAD SIDDIQUI (@MFSIDDIQUI12162) April 17, 2024
#Dubai #dubairain #Dubaifloods pic.twitter.com/jWCfTQHOM8
— MOHAMMAD SIDDIQUI (@MFSIDDIQUI12162) April 17, 2024
Critical infrastructure in the city, such as prominent shopping destinations like Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, faced flooding, with ankle-deep water even reaching at least one Dubai Metro station. The heavy rainfall led to road collapses, residential areas being submerged, and reports of leaks from roofs, doors, and windows in numerous households.
First time in #Dubai in 75 years 🥺, Alarming situation #dubairain #Uaeweather pic.twitter.com/4hBERn8utp
— MEER YASIR (@MEER_YASIR_056) April 17, 2024
#dubairain https://t.co/BtmvSmyURn
— KSB 🇵🇰 (@itsmeksb) April 17, 2024
Change in nature:
Even the desert got flooded.#Dubai #dubairain pic.twitter.com/C0gwZw8dQO— Pradeep Singh kurmi (@prap_India) April 17, 2024
The storm’s impact extended beyond Dubai, affecting the entire UAE and neighboring Bahrain, with similar scenes of flooding and chaos observed across the region.