A desert city that prides itself on its futuristic architecture, Dubai – with flooded roads and flooded homes – underwent extensive clean-up on Thursday (18), two days after a record-breaking storm dumped an entire year’s worth of rain in one only day.
The city’s International Airport is still facing difficulties clearing the backlog of flights, and many roads are still flooded after Tuesday’s deluge (16).
The rains were the heaviest recorded in the UAE in 75 years. They paralyzed much of the country and caused significant damage.
The floods left residents trapped in traffic, offices and homes. Many reported leaks in their homes, while images circulating on social media showed shopping malls flooded with water gushing from roofs.
Traffic remained severely hampered. A highway running through Dubai was reduced to a single lane in one direction, while the main road connecting Dubai with the capital Abu Dhabi was closed in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
“This didn’t look like anything. It was like an alien invasion,” Jonathan Richards, a Briton who lives in Dubai, told Reuters news agency.
Inundation
On the streets of Dubai, some vehicles, including buses, could be seen almost completely submerged. Long queues formed at gas stations.
Dubai airport had not yet resumed normal operations after the storm flooded taxiways, forcing flight diversions, delays and cancellations.
The site also had difficulty getting food to stranded passengers, as nearby roads were flooded and overcrowding limited access to those with confirmed reservations.
The storm, which hit neighboring Oman on Sunday, reached the UAE on Tuesday, with 20 deaths reported in Oman and one in the UAE.
Rain is rare in the UAE and elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula, which is typically known for its dry, desert climate. Air temperatures in summer can exceed 50ºC.
Climate experts blame global warming for these extreme weather events.
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