Heavy rain and storm cause travel chaos in Dubai, 28 flights canceled in India

Dubai Airports: The impact of the storm extends beyond Dubai.

The Middle East’s financial capital Dubai has been brought to its knees by torrential rain and storms, causing widespread flooding around the desert country.

Record rainfall caused flights to be delayed or rerouted and cars were stranded on flooded roads.

Passengers have been warned not to travel to Dubai Airport, the world’s busiest for international traffic, “unless absolutely necessary”.

A spokesman for Dubai Airports said: “Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. We are working hard to resume operations as quickly as possible under very difficult conditions.”

More than 500 inbound and outbound flights have been diverted, delayed or canceled as the weather department predicts more rain and storms today.

Authorities canceled about 15 flights to Dubai and 13 flights to India.

Dubai’s flag carrier Emirates said it would stop all passenger check-in for the day as bad weather in Dubai caused travel disruption. “Emirates is working hard to resume our scheduled operations and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers,” the airline said in a statement.

Flagship shopping malls The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates were hit by flooding, with ankle-deep water at metro stations. Officials said Metro trains are currently running on select routes and maintenance work is ongoing at Red Line and Green Line stations.

The storm’s impact extended beyond Dubai, with similar scenes of flooding and chaos experienced across the UAE and neighboring Bahrain.

Schools have been closed and more storms, including hail, are expected today, prompting authorities to extend remote work arrangements for government employees.

Storms and rains hit the UAE and Bahrain after battering Oman, killing 18 people, including several children.

State media said it was the highest rainfall since records began in 1949, before the UAE was established in 1971.

The country’s meteorological office “urges residents to take all precautions and stay away from flooded and standing water areas.”

Oman and the United Arab Emirates, which hosted the COP28 United Nations climate talks last year, have both previously warned that global warming could lead to more flooding.