Wild Videos Show Intense Flooding at Iconic Dubai Landmarks
The city saw as much rainfall in 24 hours as it typically does in a year.
The United Arab Emirates is currently seeing historic flooding that has effectively brought Dubai to a standstill. The city saw more than 4.75 inches of rainfall within a 24-hour timeframe, which is about the average the acrid, desert area sees in an entire year; more rain is expected to fall.
Typically, rain tends to fall periodically in the UAE during the cooler winter months, but even then it's unusual for the Arabian Peninsula nation. As such, even a wealthy city such as Dubai with world-class infrastructure lacks drainage on road and other areas, which has only worsened the flooding. And wild video from the region popping up on social media shows just how intense the floodwaters have been.
"Torrential rains in Dubai. Seems the whole city has crashed," one X user wrote, along with a video compilation of some of Dubai's most famous streets and landmarks effectively underwater.
Torrential rains in Dubai..
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) April 16, 2024
Seems the whole city has crashed..pic.twitter.com/SbmmpElUy2
Other videos show the toll the rains have taken on the city, with many trucks barely able to make their way through the flooded streets, while many vehicles were incapacitated entirely.
— Charles Read (@chatwithcharles) April 16, 2024
As the storms first began to hit late Monday, some city residents captured video of intense lightning illuminating the night sky. "This is NOT a Timelapse. This is the most lightning I’ve ever seen," one user remarked.
This is NOT a Timelapse. This is the most lightning I’ve ever seen. #Dubai pic.twitter.com/c1dKDlKUP1
— Toby Cunningham (@sircryptotips) April 16, 2024
Meanwhile in Dubai pic.twitter.com/ENzxk0vVnU
— Karli Bonne’ ???????? (@KarluskaP) April 16, 2024
Some of the most jaw-dropping video was taken at the Dubai International Airport, which experienced flight disruptions before temporarily diverting arriving flights altogether until weather conditions improved. On clip shows a plane slowly making its way across the tarmac as flood waters rushed by.
Dubai Airport enjoying a light shower ????✈️ pic.twitter.com/4g9pEf3RKg
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) April 16, 2024
Amid the flooding on Tuesday, Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai since 2008, announced in a social media post that due to the weather conditions, city officials had instructed all Dubai Government entities and private schools to work remotely for the day.
However, neighboring Oman was hit even worse, suffering a reported death toll of at least 18 who were killed in the recent heavy rains, including 10 schoolchildren and an adult who were swept away in a vehicle on Monday.