Dubai Submerged in Floods: UAE Records 75-Year Record Rainfall with Over a Year's Worth of Rain in Hours

On April 16, the UAE experienced its heaviest downpour since records began in 1949, leading to widespread flooding and travel disruptions. Scientists attribute the storm to increased moisture from warming seas, which rises into the atmosphere before falling as rain over the Arabian Peninsula. 

Khatm Al Shakla in Al Ain recorded the highest rainfall at 254mm (10 inches) in less than a day. 

Meanwhile, neighbouring Oman mourns the loss of several lives due to devastating flash floods, with at least 21 casualties reported. 

Adverse weather conditions led to the cancellation of 1200+ flights to and from Dubai International Airport. The airport's taxiways were flooded, resulting in flight diversions, delays, and cancellations. The flooded taxiways prevented planes from accessing the runway for takeoff, leaving passengers stranded in the terminal building.

Dubai's international airport has since reopened, with Emirates and flydubai reporting operations back to normal on Saturday (April 20th, 2024) but a passenger backlog remained.

Speculation on social media linked cloud seeding to this flash floods, but experts suggest climate change as the likely cause of the record rainfall.

- DD News, Al Jazeera, Yahoo News