Topline
The United Arab Emirates saw its heaviest rainfall on record Wednesday, which caused severe flooding and disrupted operations at one of the world’s busiest airports, while flash flooding in neighboring Oman killed nearly 20 people.
Key Facts
Weather experts in the UAE described the severe downpour as “an exceptional event” with one area receiving as much as 10 inches (254 mm) of rainfall in a 24 hour period, the state-run WAM news agency reported.
The extreme weather dumped more than a year’s worth of rainfall on the country’s largest city, Dubai, flooding roads and highways.
Operations at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for international air traffic, were also disrupted by flooding as videos on social media showed planes taxiing on inundated runways.
The airport was forced to divert several inbound flights and urged people to not come unless it was absolutely necessary, according to local media reports.
Emirates, the country’s flag carrier, suspended check-ins for all passengers flying out of Dubai until midnight Thursday due to “operational issues.”
The severe weather has cause the death of at least one person in the country, a man in his 70s whose car was swept away by the floods, local media reported.
Tangent
Heavy rains also lashed neighboring Oman on Tuesday, with some parts of the country receiving more than 7 inches of rain since the start of the week. The severe weather triggered flash flooding in parts of the country, causing at least 19 deaths, national emergency authorities said. The death toll includes an infant and 12 school children whose school bus was swept away by flood waters.
Big Number
5.59 inches. That is the amount of rain that fell over Dubai on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. The single-day downpour was higher than the 3.73 inches of rain the desert city usually receives in a year.
Further Reading
Storm dumps heaviest rain ever recorded in desert nation of UAE, flooding roads and Dubai’s airport (Associated Press)
