The United Arab Emirates, known for its desert landscape, is dealing with a historic weather event. Recently, it experienced the heaviest rain ever recorded, leading to flooding in Dubai, including at the international airport, which disrupted flights.
While rain is not uncommon in neighboring countries like Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, the UAE was hit particularly hard. The rain raised questions about cloud seeding, a technique used to induce rain, but experts dismissed this, attributing the deluge to a strong low-pressure system.
Dubai, a city synonymous with luxury and modernity, faced unusual conditions as it received more than double its average annual rainfall in just 24 hours. This caused chaos at the airport, with stranded passengers facing challenges in finding transportation and accommodations.
Emirates, the UAE's flagship airline, had to halt check-ins and flights, and the airport struggled to manage the influx of passengers. The situation was exacerbated by flooded roads, making travel difficult.
The UAE's efforts to combat the arid climate include cloud seeding to increase water supply. However, this recent rain event was far beyond what could be attributed to such measures.
The extreme weather is part of a global pattern attributed to climate change, which is causing more frequent and severe weather events worldwide. Dubai, a city that hosted climate talks, is not immune to these changes.
In neighboring Oman, heavy rains have also caused significant damage and loss of life, highlighting the region's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
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