Normal life in Dubai City was disrupted and air traffic was badly hit after heavy rains, the highest recorded in 75 years, triggered flooding in the UAE on Tuesday, a region which mostly experiences dry and arid climate.

The National Centre of Meteorology confirmed that the record rainfall that fell on the country during the past 24 hours until 9 pm on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, is an exceptional event in the UAE's climate history since the start of recording climate data, and it is expected that the coming hours will witness the recording of larger amounts of rainfall, reported Gulf News.

According to reports, the highest amount of rainfall was experienced in "Khatm Al Shakla" area in Al Ain, reaching 254 mm in less than 24 hrs.

Flight service disrupted

Dubai International Airport, which is one of the busiest destinations for international passengers, was forced to divert several incoming flights amid heavy downpour which made flight operations dangerous.

The airport witnessed a rare suspension of arriving flights.

“The airport is working hard with its response teams and service partners to restore normal operations and minimise inconvenience to our customers. We urge guests to check directly with the airline to obtain the latest information on the status of their flight, allow significant extra travel time to the airport and use the Dubai metro where possible,” Dubai Airports authority was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.

Meanwhile, Emirates airline has suspended check-in for passengers departing Dubai on Wednesday.

“Emirates is suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai effective 08:00hrs on 17 April until midnight (00:00hrs 18 April), due to operational challenges caused by bad weather and road conditions,” the airline’s spokesperson said in a statement to Khaleej Times on Wednesday.

“Affected customers can contact their booking agent or Emirates contact centre for rebooking. Passengers arriving in Dubai and already in transit will continue to be processed for their flights. Customers can expect delays to departures and arrivals, and are advised to check the latest flight schedules on the emirates website,” said the statement.

200 Dubai Metro passengers stranded

As many as 200 Dubai Metro passengers were stranded across various stations after the service was disrupted due to heavy downpour.

In response to the ongoing operational snag, Dubai Metro announced scheduled maintenance at stations along the Red and Green lines on Wednesday, April 17, reported Khaleej Times.

Shopping malls flooded

Several videos are currently going viral online where several landmark shopping malls in the city were seen flooded.

One death reported in UAE

According to police, one Emirati person died after his car was swept away in Ras Al Khaimah city of the UAE.

The 40-year-old man died after trying to enter Wadi Isfni with his vehicle, which is located in the southern areas of the emirate, reported Khaleej Tmes.