UAE Flood: Devastating rain and flooding battered normal life in the United Arab Emirates. The portions of major highways have been inundated following heaving down pore.
Authorities have urged residents to stay at home after large parts of the region were lashed by torrential rain, hail and thunderstorms yesterday.
Schools have shifted to online classes and government employees have been asked to work from home. The National Centre of Meteorology has issued a red alert for residents and visitors to be extremely vigilant till today.
Lightning flashed across the sky, occasionally touching the tip of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
Dubai International Airport has advised passengers to avoid travelling to the airport unless necessary.
Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to lash Oman, killing at least 19 people in North Al Sharqiyah and Adam on Monday, official sources said. Heavy rain also fell in Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The United Arab Emirates has been hit by an unprecedented downpour, receiving more rain in the past few days than it typically sees in a year. Official figures reveal that some areas received at least 200mm of rain, double the country’s average annual rainfall. The highest amount was recorded in Khatam Al Shaklah, Al Ain, at a staggering 259.5mm.
These torrential rains have caused widespread travel disruption, particularly at Dubai International Airport. The major airport was forced to shut down operations for a period due to flooding, and many passengers missed their flights. Roads leading to the airport remain flooded and impassable.
Dubai-based airline Flydubai has partially resumed flights from Terminal 2, with departures scheduled after 8 pm. Flights from Terminal 3 are expected to resume after midnight. However, many other flights have been cancelled due to the ongoing weather conditions and road closures.