Emirates faced the necessity to cancel and delay numerous flights to and from Dubai, the world's second-busiest international airport, due to heavy rains hitting the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. In response, people and students were advised to work and study from home.
This storm arrived just a fortnight after record-breaking rainfall caused devastating floods in various parts of the UAE and neighboring Oman. The earlier floods claimed at least four lives in the UAE and brought Dubai to a standstill. Oman reported 19 fatalities, including 10 children who were on a school bus swept away by the floodwaters.
Footage from Ras Al-Khaimah, a coastal city in the UAE, showed palm trees swaying in strong winds amid heavy rains and lightning on Thursday. While the rainfall was not as severe as the previous event, Dubai received 20 millimeters in 12 hours, more than double the typical rainfall for April and May combined. Abu Dhabi saw 34 mm in 24 hours, over four times its average for this period.
Residents were better prepared this time, with workers seen clearing drains a day before the rain. Emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones, urging people to stay home where possible.
Authorities mandated remote work and study in affected areas on Thursday and Friday. Roads leading to flood-prone valleys were closed, and people were advised to avoid mountainous, desert, and coastal areas.
Climate scientists have attributed these extreme rainfall events to climate change. A team of 21 scientists and researchers found that global warming has made intense rainfall events in the UAE and Oman, which usually occur during El Niño years, 10 to 40% more severe. The UAE experienced its heaviest rainfall in 75 years during the previous event, with Dubai receiving more than a year and a half's worth of rain in less than 24 hours.