The United Arab Emirates was hit by thunderstorms on April 16. In Dubai, the rainfall on this day is comparable to the local average rainfall of one and a half to two years, resulting in the flooding of the apron of Dubai International Airport and the suspension of flight landings for more than two hours. According to the confirmation of the UAE National Meteorological Center on the 17th, the country has encountered the strongest rainfall in the recorded history since 1949 in the past 24 hours.
On that day, in the violent thunderstorm, a rare phenomenon of "one second to turn green" appeared in the sky of Dubai. According to the Associated Press report, the thunderstorm in the UAE began in the late night of local time on April 15, and the rain became heavier around 9 am on the 16th, lasting for a day. The 24-hour rainfall in Dubai exceeded 142 millimeters. In addition, according to the Washington Post, official data shows that since late at night on the 15th to the end of the 16th, the rainfall in Dubai is at least about 160 millimeters.
At Dubai International Airport, the apron is flooded with water, and the planes "wade" and taxi. The roads leading to the airport are also flooded, and it is difficult for passengers taking the plane to arrive at the airport. According to Xinhua News Agency reports, the airport stopped landing planes at 19:26 on the 16th, and announced "gradually resume" to receive incoming flights after more than two hours, while departing flights remained in operation, but there were still many flights cancelled or delayed. The airport also briefly stopped operating for about 25 minutes in the afternoon due to the chaos caused by the heavy rain.
In addition, due to the heavy rainfall, the roads in the UAE have been washed away, some major highways have been flooded, and some cars have been completely flooded by the flood. According to Xinhua News Agency reports, some shopping malls, subway stations, and residential areas in the local area have been flooded, and many residents reported that rainwater has leaked into the house from the roof and doors and windows.
Until April 17, schools across the UAE have been closed, and Dubai government employees also work remotely from home. And the semi-final of an AFC Champions League to be held in the UAE city of Al Ain has been postponed for 24 hours due to the heavy rain weather. In addition, according to the Associated Press report, in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the far north of the UAE, a 70-year-old man died because the vehicle he was riding was washed away by the flood; the emirate of Fujairah on the east coast had the largest rainfall on April 16, reaching 145 millimeters.
It is reported that Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries also had rain on April 16. The National Emergency Management Committee of Oman said on the 16th that the recent rain has caused at least 18 people to die in Oman nationwide, including 9 students. The UAE is located on the Arabian Peninsula, with a dry climate, and there is only rain in the relatively cool season. Due to the lack of rain, some roads and facilities lack drainage systems. To cope with this heavy rain, the government has dispatched storage tank trucks to the streets and highways to do pumping treatment.
The Consulate General of China in Dubai issued a reminder on April 17, reminding Chinese-funded enterprises and institutions in the consular district and Chinese citizens, especially tourists coming to the UAE, to pay attention to changes in the weather and safety warnings, raise self-protection awareness, strengthen safety precautions, and avoid secondary disasters.
