Emergency services were trying to open roads closed by flooding today, with residents assessing the damage to homes and businesses today from epic rainfall that hit the United Arab Emirates.
Authorities at Dubai International Airport, a major travel hub, were scrambling to deal with a backlog of flights while many roads remained flooded following Tuesday’s deluge.
The rains were the heaviest in the Gulf state in the 75 years that such data have been collected. The floods resulted in residents being trapped on the streets, in their offices and homes. Many reported leaks in their homes, while videos posted on social media showed water pouring from the roofs of shopping malls.
Vehicular movement continued to be difficult. On a highway that crosses Dubai, the traffic of vehicles was carried out in one lane, in one direction, resulting in a heavy traffic jam, while the main road connecting Dubai with Abu Dhabi was closed in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
In Dubai, some vehicles, including buses, were almost completely submerged in water. Long queues formed at gas stations.
Emergency workers were using a fire engine to pump water from a flooded road as drivers tried to get through, dodging abandoned vehicles.
Dubai Airport operations continued to be disrupted as the storm resulted in the runway being flooded and flights being diverted, delayed or cancelled.
Airport authorities said this morning that inbound flights have started to be accepted once more at Terminal 1, which is used by foreign companies, but that there are still problems and flight delays.
They then stated that check-in was open at Terminal 3 for Emirates and flydubai flights, but warned that there were large numbers of people waiting at check-in and that travelers should only go there if they had received a departure confirmation from their airline.
The storm, which hit neighboring Oman on Sunday, pounded the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. One death was reported in the UAE while 20 died in Oman.
Authorities have also asked workers and students to stay in their homes while the streets are cleared of water.
While some arterial roads leading to affected communities remain flooded, many food stores have started to restock their shelves although the supply of fresh produce appeared more limited than usual.
Delivery services across Dubai, where residents are used to ordering everything at the touch of a button, have started to recover following two days of being largely down.
Rainfall is rare in the UAE and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula, which is known for its dry desert climate. In summer, temperatures can exceed 50 degrees Celsius.
Could ‘cloud seeding’ be related to floods?
After Tuesday’s events, questions arose regarding whether cloud seeding, a procedure often practiced by the UAE, may have caused the heavy rain.
But climate experts said global warming is the main culprit behind extreme weather events.
Researchers expect climate change to lead to warmer temperatures, increased humidity and a greater risk of flooding in parts of the Gulf region. The problem can be exacerbated in countries such as the UAE where there is a lack of drainage infrastructure that might cope with heavy rainfall.
The UAE government agency that oversees cloud seeding, a process of intervening in clouds aimed at increasing rainfall, denies that such procedures took place before the storm.
UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement that he had instructed authorities to assess the damage and offer support to the affected families.
Source of RES-EMP
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