In a single day on Tuesday, Dubai encountered an extraordinary amount of rainfall equivalent to a year’s worth, triggering severe flash floods across the city. This inundation submerged the runway at Dubai International Airport, giving it the appearance of an expansive ocean. Streets were transformed into swiftly flowing rivers, and residences were swamped by the rising waters. Flight activities at the airport were temporarily halted for nearly thirty minutes as a result.
Scenes of current Dubai weather
pic.twitter.com/z7rGzUtlIB— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) April 16, 2024
On Tuesday, the airport experienced almost 100 mm of rainfall within a mere 12-hour period, and the total for the day reached 160 mm. This stands in stark contrast to Dubai’s usual annual rainfall average of approximately 88.9 mm.
This was a pretty intense sight watching the storm over Dubai today. pic.twitter.com/QdDSp9pKhU
— Gary Gensler (Parody) (@GaryGenslerMeme) April 17, 2024
In a Wednesday morning advisory, the Dubai International Airport urged travelers to check their flight status and allocate significant additional travel time to reach the airport.
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Social media videos depicted the runway entirely submerged, with large passenger jets appearing more like boats as they navigated through the flooded expanse, giving the impression of an ocean rather than an airport runway.
Dubai Airport right now
pic.twitter.com/FX992PQvAU— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) April 16, 2024
The Dubai website displayed numerous flights delayed or canceled on Tuesday, impacting various destinations such as India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UK. Emirates airline stated that several flights were either delayed or canceled due to the adverse weather conditions.
Flydubai confirmed the temporary suspension of all its flights departing from Dubai until 10 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday. Dubai Police issued advisories urging residents to avoid specific roads in the city due to flash flooding.
Elsewhere in the region, heavy rainfall and consequent flooding were observed. In neighboring Oman, the impact was particularly severe, with at least 18 fatalities reported due to flash floods triggered by intense rainfall. Among the victims were 10 students who tragically lost their lives on April 14 when the vehicle they were traveling in was swept away by strong currents while attempting to cross a flooded area.
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