DUBAI – One of the world's busiest airports temporarily suspended operations because the United Arab Emirates experienced its heaviest rain on record.
The downpour led to flight cancellations and Delays at Dubai International Airport, with travelers stranded for hours each within the terminal and on the tarmac, which gave the impression to be underwater in footage seen by CNBC. The airport said Road closures and flooding have prevented many passengers from reaching the airport for departing flights.
Dubai Airports has advised passengers to not go to the airport “unless absolutely necessary”. A spokesperson said that “flights continue to be delayed and diverted.”
Emirates airline suspended Check-in for all flights departing Dubai between 8:00 a.m. local time and midnight on Wednesday. Fly Dubai, a low-cost airline owned by the Dubai government, has also suspended all flights from the UAE hub until 10 a.m. local time on April 17, citing extreme weather conditions.
The National Center for Meteorology confirmed the country's highest rainfall within the eastern emirate of Al Ain reached 254.8 mm (10 inches) in lower than 24 hours.. Over 100mm of rain fell within the UAE, a record in 75 years because the UAE began recording rainfall.
The government issued one red warning, formwork offices, schools and banks across the country. The National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Authority warned Residents should stay home and park their vehicles in elevated areas away from flood-prone areas. People were also advised to take preventative measures to avoid property damage attributable to heavy rain and hailstorms.
The essential road connecting Dubai to the capital Abu Dhabi was blocked because of flooding. Both the subway and the mall in Dubai were flooded, and in videos seen by CNBC, cars might be seen on the streets in lots of parts of the country.
The storms also reportedly hit other parts of the Middle East 18 dead in Oman due to flooding.
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