DUBAI: Two days after a record storm saw a year’s worth of rain fall in a single day, Dubai, a desert metropolis proud of its futuristic shine, was busy on Thursday removing its water-clogged roadways and drying out flooded homes.
Major transport hub Dubai International Airport was having trouble getting through a backlog of planes, and several roads remained waterlogged following Tuesday’s torrential downpour.
The United Arab Emirates had its most rainfall in the 75 years that records have been kept. They did great damage and brought much of the country to a stop.
Residents were stuck in cars, offices, and residences due to flooding. Numerous people reported having leaks in their homes, while social media users shared videos of water dripping from rooftops in malls.
Airport finds it difficult to clear the backlog of planes, and many roads are still inundated.
The disruption to traffic persisted. The primary route between Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi was shut down in the Abu Dhabi direction, and a highway passing through Dubai was narrowed to only one lane in one direction.
There was nothing like this. British resident of Dubai Jonathan Richards told Reuters, “It felt like an alien invasion.”
“It was people in kayaks with suitcases and pet dogs and cats outside my house when I woke up the other morning.”
Rinku Makhecha, a different resident, claimed that the rain flooded her newly remodeled home, which she had moved into two weeks previously. She remarked, “My whole living room is just like… all of my furniture is floating right now.”
Some cars, including buses, were nearly completely immersed in water on Dubai’s streets. Long lines grew at gas outlets.
Following the storm’s flooding of taxiways, which resulted in flight delays, cancellations, and diversions, Dubai Airport has not yet resumed regular operations.
Majed Al Joker, the Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Airports, stated to Al Arabiya TV that he anticipated Dubai International Airport to operate at 60–70% capacity by the end of Thursday and at full capacity in less than a day.
