DUBAI: Heavy thunderstorms swept across the United Arab Emirates and Oman, wreaking havoc with intense rainfall and flooding. In a dramatic turn of weather events, Dubai, known for its desert climate, experienced over a year and a half’s worth of rain within mere hours, inundating major highways and even its international airport.
The deluge began late Monday, saturating Dubai with approximately 20 millimeters of rain, as reported by meteorological data from Dubai International Airport. By Tuesday morning, the storms had intensified, unleashing more rain and hail, paralyzing the city with flooded streets and disrupting transportation systems, including the driverless Metro.
Emergency services were deployed to navigate the submerged roads, while lightning illuminated the skyline, occasionally striking the iconic Burj Khalifa. With schools closed and many workers staying home, the UAE government urged caution as vehicles stalled in the rising waters, and some homes were inundated, requiring residents to bail out water.
In the neighboring Sultanate of Oman, heavy flooding claimed the lives of at least 18 people, with others still missing. Tragically, among the casualties were 10 schoolchildren swept away in a vehicle along with an adult. The country’s National Committee for Emergency Management reported the rising death toll, prompting condolences from regional leaders.
Fujairah, an emirate on the UAE’s eastern coast, bore the brunt of the storm with the heaviest rainfall recorded. As the affected regions grappled with the aftermath, authorities in both the UAE and Oman took precautionary measures, including school closures and remote work arrangements.
While rain is rare in the arid landscapes of the UAE and Oman, the sporadic downpours underscored the vulnerability of infrastructure lacking adequate drainage systems. The impact extended beyond borders, with rainfall also reported in Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, highlighting the regional scale of the weather disturbance.
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