Persistent heavy rainfall has been wreaking havoc in the Gulf states, leading to lethal flash floods and causing significant disruptions at Dubai International Airport, the world’s second most frequented airport.
The airport authorities have alerted passengers about the “extremely difficult conditions” and advised some of them to refrain from showing up due to waterlogged areas.
Further towards the north, a man lost his life when his vehicle was swept away by flash floods.
In Oman, the body of a young girl was discovered in Saham, escalating the death count in the nation to 19 since the previous Sunday.
On Wednesday, approximately 300 flights to and from Dubai International Airport – a crucial junction for connecting flights worldwide – were called off as per Flight Aware data, and several hundred more experienced delays.
The airport, which catered to over 80 million passengers last year, coming second only to Atlanta in the United States, cautioned that the recovery process would require “a considerable amount of time”.
It recommended passengers on Wednesday to refrain from visiting Terminal 1 without obtaining confirmation from their respective airlines and to avoid unnecessary visits to the airport.
Emirates, a leading international airline based in Dubai, put a hold on the check-in process for passengers departing from the city until the following Thursday.
The authorities issued a warning about the forecast of additional thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds, with numerous low-lying regions still submerged under water.