The United Arab Emirates experienced heavy rain, lightning, and thunderstorms in parts of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, causing disruptions to flights and bus services on Thursday. This comes just days after severe flooding affected the country in April.
In Dubai, several inbound flights were diverted, and both arrivals and outbound flights were canceled. The Emirates airline also reported cancellations. Residents woke up to strong winds, thunder, and lightning in the early hours of Thursday, with the country's weather department issuing an amber alert indicating widespread rain-bearing clouds. Adverse weather conditions were expected to persist until May 3, and residents were advised to follow safety measures.
Waterlogging was reported on streets in some parts of Abu Dhabi, while strong winds affected various areas in Dubai. IndiGo airline announced flight operations were impacted in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah due to adverse weather conditions.
The UAE had issued alerts for medium to heavy rains until Thursday, encouraging remote work and distance learning for schools in Sharjah and Dubai.
In April, a record storm hit Dubai, leading to flight diversions, delays, and cancellations. The storm caused disruptions in normal life, and the Dubai International Airport struggled to return to normal operations due to flooded taxiways. Roads between Dubai and Abu Dhabi remained partially underwater for days, leading to product shortages in some supermarkets and restaurants in Abu Dhabi.
Researchers have linked extreme weather events like these to climate change, anticipating higher temperatures, increased humidity, and a greater risk of flooding in the Gulf region. The lack of adequate drainage infrastructure in countries like the UAE can exacerbate the risk of flooding during heavy rains.
