Wild scenes after deadly floods hit Dubai

The Gulf, including Dubai, has seen its worst rain for 75 years with 150 per cent of the annual rain falling in a day leading to at least 20 deaths.

At least 20 people are now known to have died in a wild storm that swept across The Gulf.

Parts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) saw a year and half’s rainfall in one day.

Air travel remains in chaos, particularly in hard hit Dubai, with the emirate’s airport – the world’s second busiest air hub – declaring it was facing “very challenging conditions”.

Startling images have emerged from Dubai including of the immense rains and wind bringing down structures, sports cars driving through flooded roads and even the rescue of a cat that was clinging onto a car door on a water logged street.

At least 20 deaths

Oman, which neighbours the UAE, has recorded 19 deaths including a girl whose body was found in the city of Saham on the country’s Gulf coast.

In the UAE itself, a man in his seventies died when his vehicle was swept away in flash floods in the Ras al Khaimah emirate, north of Dubai.

Local news outlet The National said he was attempting to travel through a flooded waterway as heavy rain hit.

Video from Twitter showed people running from the storm. Picture: Twitter/X.

Part of them ceiling of a building came down. Picture: Twitter/X.

Worst rain for 75 years

The UAE’s National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) said 255mm of rain came down in 24 hours near Al Ain, on the Oman border.

With the UAE averaging between 140mm and 200mm of rain each year, that amount far exceeds the annual usual total.

A Porsche making its way through flood waters. Picture: X/Twitter.

Oman said it had received its worst rain for 75 years.

A video was posted to social media of people battling in the fierce rain with roofs and ceilings being torn off buildings around them.

Conditions have eased on Wednesday, local time. The UAE has announced the “end of the weather fluctuations” but that it would take time for the country to return to normal.

A man crosses a flooded street following heavy rains in Sharjah on April 17, 2024. (Photo by Ahmed RAMAZAN / AFP)

People try to avoid getting wet as they cross a flooded street following heavy rains. (Photo by Ahmed RAMAZAN / AFP)

Cat rescued from floods

Dubai police did countless rescues on Tuesday but one was notable.

The force released a video to Twitter, now known as X, of officers spotting a black and white cat clinging to the handle on a car door on a flooded street.

The cat, with some protest and several growls, was brought onto a police boat and taken to safety.

Airport remains in chaos

Dubai International Airport, the home of Emirates and the world’s second busiest airport, is under particular pressure.

Over the last 24 hours it has diverted 21 flights to nearby Abu Dhabi Airport which is faring far better.

Other flights have seen severe delays with passengers unable to get to the airport or to leave it.

“We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary,” said the airport on social media.

Passengers wait for their flights at the Dubai International Airport after the rains caused chaos. (Photo by AFP)

“Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions.”

Footage circulating on social media showed the airport completely flooded at times on Tuesday.

Clips show the tarmac drowning in water as planes try to navigate their way through what now looks like a marina.

Footage of an Emirates plane at its gate could be seen completely surrounded by water.

Emirates suspended all check in for passengers until Wednesday morning to battle the backlog.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Emirates is working hard to restore our scheduled operations, and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers,” it said in a statement.

The city experienced ‘exceptional weather’. Picture: TikTok/disaster9578

One video shared to Instagram by digital creator Jay Robert showed an Emirates flight attendant dragging her luggage through knee-high waters as the footage cuts to inside what appears to be the airport – also flooded.

“Proof nothing will stand between crew and sleep, Emirates crew wade flood waters in Dubai in efforts to get home after long flights,” the caption read.

“Several Emirates crew wrote in to say this is the worst flooding they’ve seen in the city in nearly 20 years.”

Similar scenes were repeated across Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE as the oil-rich Gulf state, better known for its arid climate and intense summer heat, reeled from the storm.

Both the Oman and the UAE, which hosted last year’s COP28 UN climate talks, have previously warned that global warming is likely to lead to more flooding.

Roads remain flooded even though the rain has passed. (Photo by Ahmed RAMAZAN / AFP)

Torrential rains and high winds lashed parts of the Gulf on April 16. Picture: Giuseppe CACACE / AFP

“It is highly likely that the deadly and destructive rain in Oman and Dubai was made heavier by human-caused climate change,” Otto, of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, said.

Meanwhile, Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both suffered flooding and water was ankle-deep in at least one Dubai Metro station, according to images posted on social media.

The Dubai Metro is now back operating a limited service.

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– with AFP