Dubai airport chaos as UAE and Oman reel from deadly storms » Capital News

DUBAI, UAE, Apr 18 – Heavy rain has continued to batter Gulf states, causing deadly flash floods and disrupting flights at the world’s second-busiest airport.

Dubai International Airport warned of “very challenging conditions” and advised some passengers not to turn up due to areas being inundated by 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.

On Wednesday, about 300 flights to and from Dubai International Airport – a major hub for connecting flights to every continent – were cancelled, according to Flight Aware data, and hundreds more were delayed.

The airport, which last year served more than 80 million passengers, second only to Atlanta in the United States, warned recovery would take “some time”.

On Wednesday it advised against visiting Terminal 1 without confirmation from airlines and avoiding trips to the airport.

Emirates, a major international airline headquartered in Dubai, 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.

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