Heavy Rain Floods Dubai, Metro Stations Submerged, Cars Abandoned

Heavy Rain Floods Dubai, Metro Stations Submerged, Cars Abandoned

Heavy thunderstorms lashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE), within hours of the desert city of Dubai's heaviest rainfall in more than a year and a half, and flooded major highways and its international airport.

The rain started on Monday night, and about 20mm (0.79 inches) fell in Dubai according to data from the airport. The storms got worse around 9am on Tuesday and kept going all day. They dropped more rain and even hail on the city, which couldn't handle it all.

By Tuesday evening, Dubai had gotten more than 142mm (5.59 inches) of rain. Usually, the airport in Dubai gets about 94.7mm (3.73 inches) of rain in a whole year. This airport is the busiest in the world for international travel and a main hub for Emirates, a big airline.

Dubai, known for having the busiest airport for international travelers, had to send some incoming flights to other places. There were lots of delays and some flights were canceled at the Dubai International Airport. Even the roads leading to the airport were flooded. Planes were moving slowly on runways covered in water, and cars in the airport parking lot were halfway underwater.

Many famous places in the city, like Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, got flooded too. People living in neighborhoods had a hard time. Water was coming into their homes through the roofs, doors, and windows, causing problems.

The authorities had to use tanker trucks to pump water out of flooded streets and highways. Even residential areas got flooded, and some homes had a lot of water coming in. People living there had to quickly do things to protect their homes.

#Dubai flood is not a jokepic.twitter.com/lXJC0PLrWe
— Prince Nishat (@teasersixer) April 17, 2024

The flood was completely drowned. Highways and airports are now under water. 18 people died in Dubai due to dire situation.#Dubai pic.twitter.com/OYWjDot4Ru
— Rajikul (@Rajikul2441) April 17, 2024

Police and emergency workers drove slowly through the flooded streets of Dubai. Their emergency lights lit up the dark roads. Lightning flashed in the sky, sometimes hitting the top of the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world. Even the city's driverless Metro system had problems because of the floods.

Before the storm, most schools in the UAE, which is made up of seven sheikhdoms, closed. Government workers were mostly working from home. Many other people also stayed home, but some went out. Unfortunately, those who did go out found themselves stuck in water that was deeper than they thought, which caused their vehicles' engines to stop working.

Look at the global infrared satellite from the past 24 hours. A low pressure system did pass across the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf, causing rain and storms. That apparently was enhanced to some degree by cloud seeding. Either way, historic rains and floods in Dubai!… pic.twitter.com/CkUU6p0vIr
— Noah Bergren (@NbergWX) April 16, 2024