IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES. Torrential rains paralyze Dubai and plunge the United Arab Emirates into chaos
Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
Heavy rains have hit the United Arab Emirates and its economic capital, Dubai, since Sunday April 14. Huge queues formed on Tuesday on six-lane highways, some sections of which were submerged, as the desert country recorded 254 millimeters of rain in one day, the equivalent of almost two years of precipitation. These rains are the largest ever recorded by this Gulf state since records began in 1949, according to the authorities.
In Dubai, where the infrastructure is not designed to absorb as much water, many roads were flooded, as well as supermarkets and even metro stations. As a precaution, schools remained closed on Wednesday, for the second day in a row, as further heavy rains are expected.
Travelers have been urged not to travel to Dubai Airport, the world’s busiest in terms of international traffic, “unless absolutely necessary”. “Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. (…) We are working hard to restore operations as quickly as possible in very difficult conditions”declared a spokesperson for the airport manager. As of Tuesday, dozens of flights had been delayed, canceled or diverted.
Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates suspended check-ins on Wednesday due to difficulties accessing the airport for staff and passengers, with roads blocked and some metro services suspended. Images of completely flooded landing strips, which have gone viral on social networks, demonstrate the extent of the flooding.
