”Looks like an apocalyptic movie!” -Dubai International Airport flooded
Source ; NBC NEWS
The situation turned scary when a major flood struck Dubai International Airport (DXB) in the United Arab Emirates.
A viral video on Twitter captured the chaos caused by the flood, disrupting the airport’s usual operations, especially in handling incoming flights.
The footage showed planes facing high floodwaters upon arrival, leading the airport to divert all incoming flights elsewhere until the flood receded.
Operations at DXB were delayed by 25 minutes due to the flooding.
This flood is the worst disaster to hit Dubai since 1999. Besides DXB, other parts of the city were also affected by the bad situation.
Heavy rains hit parts of the Middle East on Tuesday, forcing school closures in the United Arab Emirates and flooding Dubai International Airport’s runway. In Oman, at least 18 people have died in recent days due to the severe weather.
The storms flooded roads and created dangerous conditions across the region, an area not used to intense rain and flash flooding.
Flights into Dubai airport were diverted temporarily due to the “continued exceptional weather event currently being experienced in the UAE,” airport officials said Tuesday.
Video footage from Saudi Arabia’s state-owned news outlet Al Arabiya showed floodwaters covering the Dubai tarmac, with airplanes navigating through and support vehicles almost submerged.
Over 4.7 inches of rain fell in a day in the UAE, flooding Dubai streets and causing water to enter homes and businesses.
The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority advised people to stay home and park cars in safe, elevated areas away from flood-prone spots.
Private schools in the UAE were closed before the storm, and government employees were told to work from home.
Although the UAE is known for its dry weather, occasional precipitation occurs in winter.
In Oman, storms and heavy rain in recent days claimed the lives of 10 schoolchildren and an adult driver in a vehicle swept away by floodwaters.
Other parts of the Middle East, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, also experienced unusual wet conditions this week.
It’s uncertain whether global warming contributed to the recent storms, but studies suggest that a warmer atmosphere due to climate change can hold more moisture, leading to more severe storms and heavy rain.
