Schools and businesses have been closed across the United Arab Emirates after the country experienced about year’s worth of rain in one day.
The flooding also disrupted travel at Dubai International Airport, which is the world’s busiest for international travel.
Videos posted online showed residents sweeping rainwater out of their homes and luxury cars stranded in Dubai’s flooded streets, after a storm unleashed the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the country since the start of data collection 75 years ago. That was well before the country was founded.
Dubai’s high-end stores weren’t spared either, as rainwater gushed through the ceilings of shopping malls. At Dubai’s main airport, the runway flooded and flagship carrier Emirates suspended all departing flights on Wednesday. The local Gulf News reported more than 1,200 flights were canceled due to Tuesday’s storms. The airport is expected to return to fully operational by Friday.
