Dubai-UAE: The sudden deadly flash floods that ricocheted across the UAE on Tuesday totally caught residents unaware bringing the reality of this otherwise desert region’s extreme vulnerability to climate change all too vividly alive.

Though the clean-up operation appeared challenging, the UAE authorities were working round the clock doing everything possible to ensure that life gets back to normal.
Within a day, everything seems to be normal, thanks for the tireless efforts of the UAE government and other institutions that came forward to restore operations.

The disastrous storm and torrential rains caused havoc throughout the country, paralysing the otherwise bustling life of Dubai and the entire UAE.
The flash floods submerged several vehicles and paralyzed business in practically the entire country.
Scores of cars including luxury ones and debris were seen swept away by rushing waters leaving behind trail of destruction.

The government run WAM news agency described the rain “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.”
In a message to the nation late Wednesday, Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, said authorities would “quickly work on studying the condition of infrastructure throughout the UAE and to limit the damage caused.”

Many people are left wondering whether the recent UAE rains was cloud seeding – a weather modification technique to induce rains – that led to flooding of Dubai, but scientists have since dismissed the claims, and have attributed it to the global climate change. The country received a record 255 mm of rain in less than 24 hours, flooding Dubai.

The airport authorities in Dubai have been working non-stop throughout, to restore scheduled air operations. Emirates suspended check-in for all customers in their network travelling with onward connections through Dubai until 2359 hrs (GMT) on 19th April, as per the company’s statement released to the public. This has been prompted to support operations recovery from the recent onslaught of bad weather that crippled operations at the Dubai airports.

The runway at the Dubai airports were totally waterlogged and the heavy rains made visibility impossible prompting for suspension of all air services, planes were seen swaying about at the parking slot as the heavy winds swept across the emirate.
By mid-day today, residents were busy counting their losses while others were seen siphoning off excess water that entered their premises. People from all walks of life gave a helping hand in one way or the other to restore the situation.

All the highways were overflooded making vehicles impassable and both rail and road services too were halted. Some residents moved about in make-shift rubber boats and jet ski too, in a bid to access their way through.
The police and other rescue emergency personnel were busy getting things organised for a smooth operation.

Schools across the UAE remained closed as the public and private sector employees were working from home. Some residents wade across the flooded roads abandoned their partly submerged vehicles in deep waters.
Authorities sent water tankers out into the streets and highways to syphon away the excess water. Water gushed through some homes, forcing people to leave their houses.

“Due to the intense storm, operations at @DXB were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes, but have since recommenced. There is major flooding on roads leading to the airport and forecasts indicate that the unsettled weather will continue till tomorrow morning,” the Dubai International Airport’s X handle posted.

“Remember to check your flight status with your airline, allow significant extra travel time to the airport and use the Dubai Metro for smoother transit,” the notification read.

With additional inputs from NoelFernandes