Hit by significant flooding, the city of Dubai woke up under water this Wednesday. Air traffic is strongly impacted.
Dubai under water. Two years of rain fell in 24 hours in the emirate on Tuesday. The international airport, one of the busiest in the world, diverted some flights due to the torrential rains which fell on the Gulf. Significant flooding has also been reported in other countries such as Oman and Barein.
Roads collapsed and schools closed
In Dubai, several shopping centers and metro stations were flooded. Some roads even collapsed under the power of the waters. Residential neighborhoods were also affected. Schools have been closed in the Emirates and are expected to remain closed this Wednesday.
More than 16cm of rain was recorded in the United Arab Emirates city between Monday evening and Tuesday evening according to the Dubai Meteorological Bureau while, usually, in the whole month of April, the city only receives 3mm at most . Some regions even recorded more than 80mm of rain in just 24 hours. At Dubai airport, no less than 160 liters of water per m2 were recorded. An impressive level for this desert country.
How can we explain this exceptional episode?
Across the UAE, 119mm of rain fell in the space of one day, the equivalent of a year and a half of rainfall. A rare episode which can be explained by the presence of a cold drop above the Persian Gulf. In other words, a depression with very cold air at altitude and warmer in the lower levels. In Oman, 18 people died due to heavy rains. nine schoolchildren and three adults died after their vehicle was swept away by flash floods, the ONA news agency reported on Sunday.