Dubai airport in chaos as UAE and Oman reel from deadly storms
Heavy rain has been battering Gulf states, causing deadly flash floods as well as disrupting flights at the world’s second-busiest airport. Dubai International Airport says it is facing “very challenging conditions”. It advised some passengers not to turn up as areas were inundated with water. Further north, a man died when his car was caught in flash floods. In Oman, rescuers found the body of a girl in Saham, bringing the death toll in the country to 19 since Sunday. About 290 flights to and from Dubai International Airport on Wednesday were cancelled, according to Flight Aware data at 21:00 GMT (22:00 BST). There were a further 440 delayed flights, the data showed. The airport, which serves as a major hub for connecting flights to every continent, warned recovery would take “some time”. It said its latest update advised against visiting Terminal 1 without confirmation from airlines and avoiding trips to the airport. Emirates, a major international airline headquartered in Dubai, has suspended check-in for passengers departing from the city until Thursday. Authorities warned that more thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds were forecast, with many low-lying areas still under water. The United Arab Emirates, Oman’s northern neighbour, experienced on Tuesday its largest rainfall event since records began 75 years ago. The National Centre of Meteorology announced that 254.8mm (9.7in) had fallen on Khatm al-Shakla, in the region of al-Ain, over less than 24 hours. The country averages 140-200 mm of rainfall per year, while Dubai typically receives only 97mm. The monthly average for April is only about 8mm. Footage from the centre of Dubai showed dozens of submerged vehicles on a flooded part of Sheikh Zayed Road, as well as long traffic jams elsewhere on the 12-lane highway. (BBC)
