The remnants of a record-breaking storm that shut down parts of the country this week continued to plague the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday.
After Tuesday’s rain flooded the runway in Dubai, operations at the airport, a major hub for travel, are still hampered, leading to flight delays, cancellations, and diversions.
The airport reported on Thursday morning that although international carriers are again able to receive inbound aircraft at Terminal 1, there are still delays and disruptions in the air.
The airport’s biggest airline, Emirates, announced that it will begin passenger check-in again at 9 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Thursday, nine hours later than previously scheduled.
Due to flooding, the airport’s surrounding roads were impassable, making it difficult for stranded travelers to procure food, and overcrowding prevented access for those with confirmed reservations.
Following its Sunday landfall in neighboring Oman, the storm pummeled the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, producing hours-long traffic jams due to rainwater inundating homes and flooding highways. In the UAE, one person was reported deceased, and in Oman, twenty.
As the UAE saw its highest rains in the 75 years that records have been maintained, flooding trapped residents in cars, offices, and houses, according to authorities.
Additionally, officials have ordered government workers and students to remain indoors while flooded roadways are cleared.
Climate experts argue that as a result of human-caused climate change, there are more extreme weather occurrences occurring globally, like the storm that hit Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
Climate scientist Colleen Colja of Imperial College London said, “It’s likely that the storm was kind of supercharged by climate change because there’s just more moisture available in the air for any storm system to then precipitate out.”
Researchers predict that higher temperatures, more humidity, and an increased danger of floods in some areas of the Gulf region will result from climate change.
In nations like the United Arab Emirates, where there is inadequate drainage infrastructure to handle severe rainfall, the issue may get worse.
The government agency in charge of cloud seeding in the United Arab Emirates refuted reports that any cloud-manipulation operations were conducted prior to the storm.
President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a statement late on Wednesday, according to the UAE state news agency, directing authorities to evaluate the damage and offer assistance to storm-affected households.
Helpline established to support Pakistanis
In the meantime, a helpline center was set up by the Pakistani embassy in the United Arab Emirates to offer any support to its people who were impacted by the weather. According to a news release, Pakistanis residing in Dubai and the northern Emirates can reach the embassy via WhatsApp at 971-4-3973600 and 971-566472721 if they require assistance or information about the rainfall.
Additionally, they might reach out to the embassy by phone at 971-24-447800 and 971-50-1248934.
Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, instructed embassy employees to ask for any help they may get from the Pakistani community.
General Consul of Pakistan in Dubai Additionally, Hussain Muhammad organized a special team to travel to Dubai Airport to greet Pakistani people who had become stranded as a result of aircraft delays. In order to support and aid Pakistanis, the crew visited the airport and met with them.
“We will make sure that our community members who have been impacted by the recent rains receive all the help they need,” Tirmizi declared.
