Dubai Flood: 1.5 Years of Rain Unleashed in 24 Hours! Airport Submerged, Flights Stalled

Dubai Flood Crisis As Unprecedented Deluge Unleashes 1.5 Years of Rainfall in a single day. Airport Submerged, Flights Grounded Amid Chaos.

The United Arab Emirates experienced heavy rainfall on Monday, leading to unprecedented flooding in Dubai the following day. In an astonishing turn of events, the city received an entire year’s worth of rain in just one day, causing chaos and disruption across the region.

The deluge transformed streets into flowing rivers and inundated homes, leaving many areas waterlogged and inaccessible. The severity of the situation was underscored by the sight of Dubai International Airport’s runway submerged under the torrential downpour, resembling a vast sea rather than an airstrip. This forced authorities to temporarily halt flight operations for nearly half an hour, adding to the widespread disruption.

At the peak of the storm, Dubai Airport recorded nearly 100 millimeters of rainfall within a mere 12 hours, with a staggering total of 160 millimeters in just 24 hours. To put this into perspective, Dubai typically receives around 88.9 millimeters of rainfall throughout the entire year.

The impact of the heavy rainfall in the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries was felt far and wide, with dramatic scenes unfolding across the region. Videos shared on social media depicted the startling sight of Dubai Airport’s runway completely submerged, with airplanes navigating through the floodwaters, resembling ships on a sea.

As the deluge wreaked havoc, the National Weather Center of the UAE issued a weather warning for several parts of the country, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Dubai police also cautioned residents to steer clear of certain roads due to the risk of sudden flooding, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

Tragically, the heavy rainfall also had devastating consequences in neighboring Oman, where at least 18 lives were lost due to sudden floods. Among the victims were 10 students whose lives were tragically cut short when the vehicle they were traveling in was swept away by a swift-flowing stream while attempting to cross a flooded area on April 14.

Dubai Flood Fury- Years of Rain Unleashed in 24 Hours! Airport Submerged, Flights Stranded in Havoc and Turmoil

The scenes of despair extended beyond Oman, as videos surfaced on social media showing vehicles stranded on flooded roads in Bahrain, highlighting the widespread impact of the extreme weather conditions gripping the region.

The rainfall in the UAE on Tuesday has been labeled as a historic event by the state news agency WAM, marking the highest recorded precipitation since data collection began in 1949. This unprecedented level of rainfall surpasses any observed in the region prior to the discovery of oil, highlighting its significance in the country’s meteorological history.

Experts suggest that this remarkable occurrence may be linked to cloud seeding operations, which have been conducted in the UAE since 2002. Cloud seeding involves the manipulation of cloud structures to induce artificial rainfall, typically by dispersing substances such as silver iodide or potassium iodide into clouds using aircraft or helicopters.

According to reports from Bloomberg, recent cloud seeding efforts, including flights dispatched from Al Ain Airport, may have contributed to the significant rainfall and subsequent flooding experienced in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. The National Center of Meteorology confirmed that seeding aircraft were deployed seven times over two days to maximize rainfall.

What is Cloud Seeding?

Cloud seeding operations focus on identifying specific atmospheric conditions conducive to additional precipitation, targeting clouds with the potential to produce rainfall. By enhancing the natural processes of cloud formation and condensation, cloud seeding aims to augment rainfall in areas experiencing water scarcity or drought. While cloud seeding offers a potential solution to water resource management in arid regions like the UAE, its effectiveness and long-term implications remain subjects of ongoing research and debate within the scientific community.

The intensity and duration of the rainfall surpassed all expectations, highlighting the urgent need for robust infrastructure and contingency plans to mitigate the impact of such extreme weather events in the future. As the city grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented rainfall, efforts to restore normalcy and ensure the safety of residents remain a top priority.