FLIGHTS DIVERTED, SCHOOLS, OFFICES SHUT AS UAE HIT BY LARGEST SINGLE DAY OF RAINFALL IN 75 YEARS

Wed 17 April 2024:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been battered by strong thunderstorms. In a matter of hours, the desert city-state of Dubai received more rain than it does for a year and a half, flooding important roads and the airport.

The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday witnessed the largest amount of rainfall in its modern history over a 24-hour period, marking the highest since climatic data recording began in 1949, Emirates News Agency WAM reported.

Approximately 20mm (0.79 inches) of rain fell on Dubai’s roads and beaches during the late hours of Monday, according to meteorological data gathered at Dubai International Airport. Tuesday began with storms that got stronger at 9 a.m. (05:00 GMT) and persisted all day, pouring additional rain and hail on the already overburdened metropolis.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142mm (5.59 inches) had soaked Dubai. An average year sees 94.7mm (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.

Schools across the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, largely shut before the storm and government employees were mostly working remotely. Many other workers also stayed at home, although some ventured out, with the unfortunate finding themselves stranded in deeper-than-expected water after the water stalled their vehicles’ engines.

The country did not offer any information on the overall damage. In Ras al-Khaimah, the country’s northernmost emirate, police said one 70-year-old man died when his vehicle was swept away by floodwater.

Fujairah, an emirate on the UAE’s eastern coast, saw the heaviest rainfall on Tuesday with 145mm (5.7 inches) falling there.

Authorities cancelled school and the government instituted remote work again for Wednesday.

Chaos at Dubai Airport

Dubai International Airport is facing significant disruptions to operations after the UAE was hit by an unprecedented storm that saw the heaviest rainfall on record in the past 24 hours.

The major travel hub was forced to shut down operations for 25 minutes on Tuesday due to the adverse weather.

Roads leading to the airport remained blocked and flooded after the deluge.

Several passengers missed flights due to the flooding, while many airlines cancelled or diverted services.

The airport urged passengers not to travel to the airport unless “absolutely necessary” on Wednesday morning.

Chief executive Paul Griffiths said the hub’s biggest challenge is flooding and backlog of aircraft.

“We’re having to operate a strict one-in-one-out philosophy because there’s nowhere to park these aircraft as they are arriving and departing,” he said on Dubai Eye on Wednesday.

Dubai submerged in floods as UAE gets over a year’s worth of rain in hours

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142mm (5.59 inches) of rain had soaked Dubai over 24 hours.

Rain is unusual in the UAE, an arid, Arabian Peninsula nation, but it does occur periodically during the… pic.twitter.com/GnIsuK4cMz

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) April 17, 2024

UAE’s weather woes

As per reports, residents of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah have been warned of heavy rainfall and unsettled weather conditions over the next 48 hours.

In a conversation with Khaleej Times, Dr Ahmed Habib, an expert at the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said: “There is not only a likelihood of significant rainfall but also a possibility of hailstorm in places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and other emirates.”

“These clouds are expected to intensify over the next several hours. Rainfall has already begun in certain areas of the UAE, particularly along the coast,” he added.

“Thunderclouds accompanied by strong winds will surround the region, reducing visibility across the eastern parts of the country. Abu Dhabi is already experiencing a wind speed of 1000km/hr.”

Police “fully prepared”

According to news agency ANI, Abu Dhabi police are “fully prepared” to deal with the expected weather conditions that will batter the UAE till Wednesday (April 17).

To ensure public safety, the police will collaborate closely with other “relevant entities”.

According to a statement from the Abu Dhabi Police General Command, the Police and relevant entities, including the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority (ADCDA), the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), Al Ain Municipality, Al Dhafra Municipality, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), will work together to ensure the community’s safety and protect lives and property.

‘Unprecedented’ insurance claims likely

Policybazaar.ae CEO Neeraj Gupta told Al Arabiya English the cost of repairs to houses, cars and businesses could individually run into thousands of dirhams, as he said the country would likely witness an “unprecedented” number of claims.

“The exact amount will only be known in a few days once all the affected people who have bought insurance policies start reporting their claims and the surveyors start filing their estimates,” he explained. “However, what we saw yesterday was unprecedented. Even the insurers are currently struggling to understand how to handle such claim volumes.”

Gupta added: “Claims will get registered from today and over the next 15-30 days. The biggest loss will be for users with only third-party insurance as most insurance companies will not cover across this.”

Torrential rains and strong winds have also battered neighbouring Bahrain and Oman, where at least 18 people were killed in flooding.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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