Immense flash floods occurred this Tuesday (16) in Dubai, after a year’s worth of rain was recorded. Roads turned into rivers and rushing water flooded homes and businesses.
Almost 100 mm of rain fell in just 12 hours this Tuesday, according to meteorological analyzes at the airport, approximately what Dubai measures in an entire year, according to UN data.
The rain fell so hard and so fast that some drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles as floodwaters rose and roads turned into rivers.
Shocking video showed the runway at Dubai International Airport, recently ranked as the world’s second busiest airport, underwater as aircraft tried to navigate floodwaters.
The planes looked more like boats moving through the flooded airport as water splashed in their wake and waves passed through the water.
The airport closed operations for almost half an hour this Tuesday. “Operations continue to be significantly disrupted. There is extensive flooding on access roads around Dubai leading to the airport,” the airport confirmed in a statement.
Another social media video showed water rushing through a local shopping mall and flooding the ground floor of homes.
Dubai, like the rest of the United Arab Emirates, has a hot and dry climate. With infrequent rains, there is no infrastructure to deal with extreme events.
Torrential rain events like this will become more frequent due to man-made climate change. As the atmosphere continues to warm, it is able to absorb more moisture, only to expel it in the form of more extreme bursts of torrential rain.
The rain that plunged Dubai is associated with a larger storm system that passes through the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf of Oman. This same system is also bringing exceptionally wet weather to Oman and southeastern Iran.
Some rain may persist this Wednesday (17), before dry weather returns.
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