Extreme rain in the desert

Dubai under water: where there were roads, there are rivers

Dust-dry roads have become wild rivers in Dubai.(Bild: AP)

On Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates experienced the heaviest rainfall since weather records began. The masses of water were particularly visible in Dubai. According to local media, one man fell victim to the floods.

Meteorologists report that within a few hours, the region experienced the most rainfall on the dust-dry earth in a year and a half. Roads turned into rivers and numerous houses are under water. 

Videos show how the tarmac at Dubai International Airport was flooded. Aircraft pilots tried to navigate their planes through the masses of water. Numerous flights were canceled due to the capricious weather conditions. At times, passengers were advised not to make their way to the airport at all.

Disruptions also on Wednesday
The disruptions to airport operations continued into Wednesday. Access roads were blocked by flooding. The national airline Emirates reported flight delays. The low-cost airline "Flydubai" canceled all flights on Wednesday.

The rain fell so heavily and quickly on Tuesday that some drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles as the water in the streets rose rapidly. Videos on social media show the water flowing through a large shopping center and flooding homes.

One fatality so far
At least one person has been killed. A 70-year-old man in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the country's seven emirates, was swept away in his car, police said. In neighboring Oman, at least 18 people are reported to have died.

The rainfall began on Monday night and lasted until Tuesday evening. The media office of the United Arab Emirates government wrote on its X account that the rainfall was an "exceptional" climatic event. More rain is expected.

Impressions from Dubai:

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Like the rest of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has a hot and dry climate. As a result, it rarely rains and many areas have inadequate infrastructure to cope with weather extremes.