Dubai, plunged into chaos on Tuesday as heavy rain battered the United Arab Emirates (UAE), disrupting air travel and prompting widespread flooding across the country. Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest air hub for international passengers, was forced to divert numerous incoming flights as the heavy downpour rendered flight operations dangerous. The airport, which typically welcomes over 100 flight arrivals on a typical evening, witnessed a rare suspension of arrivals, followed by a gradual resumption 25 minutes later. Despite the resumption of departure flights in the evening, flight operations encountered delays and cancellations.
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Images and videos shared on social media X showed several vehicles submerged on the streets. Flagship shopping centres Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both suffered flooding. Schools have been shut across the UAE and is expected to remain closed today, when further storms are forecast. Dubai's government also extended remote working for its employees.
Taking to X, UAE Government Media Office wrote, “Based on the directives of the Council of Ministers, it was decided to extend remote work until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17, for all federal government employees, with the exception of jobs that require presence at the workplace, taking into account the weather condition that the country is going through."Meanwhile, Other parts of the Gulf Peninsula were also affected by bad weather, including Oman, whose news agency reported that at least 18 people died as a result of recent severe rainfall. The heavy rains that caused widespread flooding across the desert nation stemmed partly from cloud seeding. The UAE started cloud seeding operations in 2002 to address water security issues, even though the lack of drainage in many areas can trigger flooding. The National Center for Meteorology “urged residents to take all the precautions … and to stay away from areas of flooding and water accumulation” in a post on X.