Rainfall in the Desert city of Dubai
Unprecedented Flooding Hits Dubai
Dubai, a bustling city known for its modern skyline and desert landscapes, faced an unexpected crisis as heavy rains caused widespread flooding. The city, unaccustomed to such intense rainfall, grappled with the aftermath of a deluge that transformed streets into waterways.
Experts like Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change in London suggested that human-induced climate change likely contributed to the severity of the rainfall. Additionally, cloud seeding, a technique used to enhance rainfall, may have played a role. Cloud seeding involves introducing chemicals and particles into clouds to encourage rain formation. In the UAE, cloud seeding operations have been ongoing since 2002 to address water security concerns.
Dubai International Airport Submerged
Shocking images circulated online as Dubai International Airport, a key travel hub, found itself submerged under water. The floodwaters turned runways into rivers, posing significant challenges for aircraft attempting to take off or land. The scenes resembled a maritime setting rather than a bustling airport terminal.
Airport Operations Disrupted
The chaos extended beyond the initial deluge, with airport operations severely affected. Flooded access roads made it difficult for travellers to reach the airport, resulting in flight delays and cancellations by major airlines such as Emirates and Flydubai. Emirates, facing operational challenges due to the inclement weather and poor road conditions, suspended passenger check-ins.
Travelers found themselves stranded at the airport, unable to find transportation out of the terminal. With limited options for accommodation and uncertainty about when flights would resume, hundreds of people, including Bilal, faced a challenging situation at the airport.
Unprecedented Rainfall
The root cause of the chaos? A year’s worth of rain fell on Dubai in just 12 hours, an amount typically seen over an entire year. Roads turned into rivers, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles, while videos on social media showed water inundating malls and homes.
Infrastructure Struggles
Dubai, accustomed to arid climates, lacked the infrastructure to handle such extreme weather events. The torrential rainfall, attributed to human-induced climate change, highlighted the city’s vulnerability to increasingly frequent and intense storms.
Record-Breaking Downpour
The United Arab Emirates experienced its heaviest downpour on record, with Dubai bearing the brunt of the storm. This weather phenomenon, part of a larger storm system affecting the region, brought unprecedented rainfall to the Arabian Peninsula, Oman, and southeastern Iran.
Reckoning with the Aftermath
As the rain is expected to taper off, Dubai faces the daunting task of dealing with the aftermath of the flooding. The incident underscores the urgent need for better infrastructure and adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the city’s resilience and preparedness for future extreme weather events.
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