Dubai, a world-renowned megalopolis in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been brought to a standstill by an unusually powerful downpour that has hit the typically arid region.
Other parts of the country have also been battered by the natural disaster and at least one death has been reported. The UAE government has reported that the country has faced the largest amount of rainfall since local meteorologists began keeping records 75 years ago.
With the rain having started on Monday night, by Tuesday evening Dubai was grappling with more than 142mm, over 5.5 inches, of precipitation – the amount that the area usually gets in a year and a half.
The situation is compounded by the fact that many roads in Dubai lack proper drainage systems due to the area’s extremely dry climate. As a result, many drivers were trapped in their own vehicles, with some having to abandon them.
According to local police, a 70-year-old man lost his life when his car was swept away by torrents of water in the country’s northern Ras Al-Khaimah emirate.
The popular shopping centers Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates have also been flooded, as has at least one underground station.
Dubai International Airport – a major international transport hub – has seen its runways covered by water as well, with multiple flights being delayed and diverted.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the airport operator advised travelers NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary.
The UAE’s National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority has urged citizens not to leave their homes and to park their vehicles in elevated locations away from areas prone to flooding.
Schools have switched to remote mode and government employees have also been told to work from home. Authorities issued similar advisories back in March over extreme weather conditions.
The torrential rain currently hitting the region has also affected neighboring Bahrain and Oman, leading to multiple deaths there.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2024.
I wonder if it has anything to do with UAE refusing to take some orders from US and American Weather Engineering?! https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/1f914.svg
The local shamans seem to have over-prayed for rain… A bit less intensively next time, guys..
RIP to all the victims https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/1f940.svg
The poor Palestinians have been sacrificed as pawns for geopolitical goals—being killed, starved to death. It’s not Israel, but Netanyahu, the U$$$ of A, and the West.
https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/26c8.svgRich Oily Brothers, your time is coming to pay for your insatiable greed and desires. Sodom and Gomorrah await the West and the rich Arabs with harems and golden bathtubs. https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/26a1.svghttps://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/2601.svghttps://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/26a1.svg
UAE is one the Arab countries that still maintain relations with Israel while it is committing genocide on Palestinians. Let’s hope UAE saved its money for RAINY day instead of giving it to Israel to prosper with.