Dubai airport chaos as Gulf reels from deadly storms

Gulf states have been experiencing severe rainfall, leading to flash floods that have resulted in the deaths of 20 individuals and caused disruptions to flights at the world's second-busiest airport.
Dubai Airport issued a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging the "very challenging conditions" it was facing and advising passengers against arriving at the airport due to runways being flooded.
In another incident, a man lost his life after his vehicle was trapped in flash floods in a northern area.
In Oman, rescuers recovered the body of a girl in Saham, contributing to the country's death toll of 19 since Sunday due to the adverse weather conditions.

Authorities also cautioned that additional thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds were predicted, with many low-lying regions still submerged in water.

The United Arab Emirates, which borders Oman to the north, witnessed its most significant rainfall event in 75 years on Tuesday. The National Centre of Meteorology reported a record-breaking 254.8mm (9.7in) of rainfall in less than 24 hours in Khatm al-Shakla, located in the emirate of al-Ain.

On average, the UAE receives 140-200 mm of rainfall annually, while Dubai typically records only 97mm per year. The usual monthly average for April is approximately 8mm.
Videos from central Dubai depicted numerous vehicles submerged in floodwaters along a section of Sheikh Zayed Road, as well as extensive traffic congestion on the 12-lane highway.

Stranded at Dubai mall

Caroline Seubert, a 29-year-old British tourist from Leyland in Lancashire, recounted her experience to the BBC, stating that she and her husband visited Dubai Mall on Tuesday morning with tickets for its aquarium, unaware of the potential dangers as they had not been advised by their hotel.

Ms. Seubert, who is 22 weeks pregnant, described the situation at the mall, noting that it was flooded, with ceilings collapsing, leading to its closure at 7:30 pm. She mentioned that despite being instructed to leave, they found themselves stranded as the metro was closed and taxis were unavailable in the area, forcing them to spend the night in the mall lobby.

Although they managed to secure a taxi the next morning, it was unable to reach their hotel and dropped them off at another mall along the way. Ms. Seubert expressed frustration that they still couldn't find taxis willing to take them to their hotel, which was only 15 minutes away, and lamented that their hotel declined to operate its usual mall shuttle bus to assist guests.

Ross Moore, a 35-year-old British resident of Dubai since 2017, shared his awe at witnessing the storm, describing it as an unprecedented event in the UAE.

Moore expressed astonishment at the intensity of the thunder and lightning, noting that the experience was unforgettable due to the remarkable noise.
Despite residing in an area on higher ground, Moore mentioned that some water did enter his home. However, they managed to mitigate the impact using sandbags and towels to seal the doors.

He recounted venturing out with his son within their community, only to find all the roads flooded. Moore added that trucks were deployed to clear the excess water from the area overnight.

While there were no reported deaths in Dubai, a tragic incident occurred in Ras al-Khaimah where an elderly man lost his life after his vehicle was swept away in a flash flood.
Following the easing of rain by Tuesday evening, Dubai International Airport cautioned on Wednesday morning that the recovery process would be prolonged.

The intense storm, which began on Tuesday morning and persisted throughout the day, prompted the airport to halt operations for 25 minutes. It also led to the diversion of several inbound planes and the cancellation of numerous inbound and outbound flights.
Social media footage depicted aircraft navigating through several inches of water covering the airport's apron and taxiways.

The statement issued on X, formerly Twitter, acknowledged significant disruptions at the airport due to the weather and assured continuous collaboration with emergency response teams and service partners to restore normal operations swiftly.

Emirates, the largest international airline and one of the UAE's flag carriers, informed customers that check-in services had been suspended for all flights at the airport until midnight (20:00 GMT).

FlyDubai, Emirates' low-cost counterpart, announced that some outbound flights would depart from a single terminal after 20:00.

Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of FlyDubai, expressed astonishment at the unprecedented weather conditions during an interview with local radio station Dubai Eye.
Kanish Kumar Deb Barman, a software engineer stuck at the airport while en route to India, recounted the long wait endured by numerous passengers, some for as long as 24 to 30 hours, amid the disruption.

The UAE's National Emergency Crisis Management Authority had issued a warning prior to the storm, advising people to remain at home. Additionally, the government instructed its employees to work remotely, and private schools were encouraged to conduct classes online.
In Oman, over 1,400 individuals have been relocated to shelters, with schools and government offices closed as a precautionary measure.

Tragically, on Sunday, a bus carrying 10 schoolchildren aged between 10 and 15, along with an adult, was engulfed by floodwaters while attempting to traverse a wadi in the al-Mudhaibi area of Sharqiya province. This resulted in the loss of lives, while three other children and the driver were rescued, with two of them airlifted to safety after being swept a considerable distance from the bus.

The council of ministers in Oman expressed profound sorrow over the fatalities and extended condolences to the families affected.
Oman typically experiences limited precipitation, with an annual average rainfall ranging from 150 to 300mm in the north, primarily occurring during pre- and post-monsoon storms.

There have been reports suggesting that recent cloud-seeding operations in the skies above the UAE may have contributed to the record-breaking rainfall. However, the exact cause of the precipitation remains unclear. Meteorologists noted that the storm had been forecasted due to an area of low pressure centered in the Arabian Peninsula, which drew in warm, moisture-laden air, leading to widespread flooding in the region.

The heavy rainfall also impacted Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where videos depicted vehicles stranded on flooded roads. Climate change exacerbates the likelihood of extreme rainfall events by warming the atmosphere, emphasizing the urgent need for global emissions reductions to curb further temperature increases.