The highest rainfall in 75 years has hit the United Arab Emirates. – The water on the largest street was over a meter deep, I was stuck in my car for 11 hours next to hundreds of other drivers – said Samir Saleh Din, a resident of Dubai.
Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, was hit by a storm with heavy rainfall on Tuesday. Roads and subways were flooded, and Dubai International Airport (DXB) was also underwater. There were flash floods. Local media reported that a 70-year-old man died as a result of the downpour. The car he was driving was swept away by water in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the north-east of the country.
According to experts, in just 12 hours the city received as much rain as it rains throughout the year – 100 liters per square meter.
Tuesday’s storms with downpours and hail created a “historical meteorological event” – wrote the WAM news agency.
Districts cut off from the world, flooded Dubai Mall
The disaster caused some districts of Dubai to be cut off from the world. The rain penetrated many single-family houses and even apartments in high-rise buildings.
– Water was pouring from the balcony into the room. The drains (for removing water from washing the floor – editor’s note) were unable to carry away this amount of rainwater, so it just stood there – said Lena, a resident of Dubai, who lives on the 18th floor of the building.
Due to the storm and impassable roads, people were stuck in offices for over 30 hours. One of the largest shopping centers in the world – Dubai Mall – was also flooded.
– The water on the largest street was over a meter deep, I was stuck in my car next to hundreds of other drivers for 11 hours – reported Samir Saleh Din, a resident of Dubai. – When it cleared up during the day, I wanted to go buy something to eat, but I didn’t return home until the next day. I saw hundreds of cars flooded up to the roof. Most roads were impassable, he added.
Record rainfall
According to meteorologists from the United Arab Emirates, record rainfall was recorded – 254 l/sq m fell in less than 24 hours in Al Ain, a city bordering Oman. This is the heaviest rainfall since 1949, before the United Arab Emirates was established in 1971.
The United Arab Emirates lacks the necessary drainage infrastructure to cope with heavy rains, Reuters reports. It is not uncommon for roads to be partially submerged under water during extended periods of rainfall. It usually rains here only a few times a year.
In a country without rivers or surface water, almost all drinking water is obtained from seawater desalination.
Downpours cause flash flooding in DubaiReuters/2024 Cable News Network All Rights Reserved
Difficulties at the airport
Difficulties at the airport began on Tuesday followingnoon. Some passengers were unable to reach the airport terminals through the flooded city on time. Aircraft crews were also unable to get to the site.
Passengers using Dubai International Airport continue to face problems on Wednesday. It said the airport was “experiencing significant disruption due to weather and is working to restore normal operations as soon as possible.”
On Wednesday morning, Emirates, the most important airline in the UAE, announced the suspension of check-in for passengers departing from Dubai International Airport from 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday (6 a.m. in Poland) until midnight.
Flydubai airlines, which partially resumed flights on Wednesday morning, announced that they would return to normal operations only following midnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
Kanish Kumar Deb Barman, 39, said he and his wife had been stuck at Dubai airport since 4 a.m. on Wednesday when his flight from Paris landed late, causing him to miss his next flight to Kolkata, India. – People are just lying at the airport. There are not enough seats and chairs for them to sit. They are sitting on the floor, he told Reuters on Wednesday followingnoon, waiting for the next available flight.
How difficult the situation is can be seen in the recordings published on social media. Huge amounts of water accumulated on the airport tarmac.
“We advise you not to come to the airport unless it is absolutely necessary. Flights are still delayed and redirected. Please check the flight status directly with the airlines,” the airport authorities appealed in one of the morning messages.
Even before Tuesday’s storms, authorities recommended closing schools and moving officials to remote work.
Tomasz Wasilewski on the weather situation in DubaiTVN24/Reuters/2024 Cable News Network All Rights Reserved
Read also: “I spent over 16 hours in a taxi to cover a few kilometers.” A Polish woman’s report from Dubai
Flooded roads in DubaiPAP/EPA/ALI HAIDER
Flooded roads in DubaiPAP/EPA/ALI HAIDER
Downpours and deaths in Oman
Oman is also facing gigantic downpours causing floods. At least 19 people died there as a result of the flood, including 12 children. Schools and offices were closed in most regions.
Reuters, tvnmeteo.pl, PAP
Main photo source: STRINGER/PAP/EPA
