Long highways in Dubai were filled with floodwaters due to unusual rains, while passengers have been asked to stay away from the airport due to the cancellation of flights on Wednesday.
The United Arab Emirates city of Dubai has been hit by record rainfall, with long queues of vehicles seen on six-lane expressways after up to 254mm of rain fell on Tuesday.
A 70-year-old man died after his car was washed away in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the country’s seven states, Dubai Police said.
According to a government official, travelers have been urged to stay away from Dubai Airport, one of the world‘s busiest airports in terms of international flights.
An airport spokesman said: ‘Passengers should not come to the airport unless absolutely necessary.’
Passengers wait for their flights at Dubai International Airport on April 17, 2024 (AFP)
He said that flight delays and diversions are continuing at Dubai Airport.
Dubai’s Emirates Airline canceled all check-ins on Wednesday as crew and passengers struggled to get in and out, roads were flooded and some metro services were suspended.
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Long taxi queues were seen at the airport and passengers were delayed.
A number of flights were delayed at Dubai Airport during Tuesday’s heavy downpour, with several canceled or diverted.
After hitting neighboring Oman between Monday and Tuesday night, the storm moved towards the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, where 18 people, including many children, died.
Climatologist Frederick Otto, who specializes in examining the role of climate change in extreme weather events, said it was ‘highly likely’ that global warming had made storms worse.
According to UAE state media, it was the heaviest rainfall since records began in 1949, before the establishment of the UAE in 1971.