Dubai floods: Flight ops remain disrupted, vehicles stuck in waterlogged roads
Dubai continues to grapple with the aftermath of heavy rainfall, which paralysed much of the city for the last two days.
The state-run WAM news agency called the rain Tuesday “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.”
As per the data collected at the meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport, the city received a year and a half’s worth of rain between Monday and Tuesday.
The rains began late Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 20 millimetres (0.79 inches) of rain. It further intensified on Tuesday and by the end of the day, more than 142 millimetres (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai. In comparison, an average year sees 94.7 millimetres (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport.
Here are the latest updates on Dubai rains
Operations at Dubai Airport, a major travel hub, remained disrupted after Tuesday’s storm flooded the runway, reported Reuters.
The airport said that while it has resumed receiving inbound flights at Terminal 1, which foreign carriers use, several other flights continue to be delayed and disrupted.
Khaleej Times reports that several individuals abandoned their vehicles as water levels swelled in the city.”I watched helplessly as the water level kept rising, submerging my car,” a resident told the newspaper.
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the safety and security of citizens remains the top priority of his government.
He also directed that the necessary support be provided to all families impacted by the severe weather, ordering the transfer of affected families to safe locations in cooperation with local authorities, according to Gulf News.
The UAE president has also ordered a study of the country’s infrastructure.
The government has also extended remote work for government employees nationwide till Friday.
The National Center of Meteorology of UAE, meanwhile, has refuted reports citing cloud seeding as the reason behind the heavy rainfall in Dubai and other parts of the country.
“No, there was no cloud seeding done,” Dr Habib Ahmed, a senior meteorologist at the weather station told Gulf News. He also urged people not to believe the misinformation being spread.
According to weather experts, the situation is expected to be stable over the coming few days, adding that the city could see a few cloudy days, according to Gulf News.