Terror as UAE experiences the greatest rainstorm in 75 years

Following an unusual torrential downpour that destroyed houses and businesses and left at least one person dead, authorities and residents around the United Arab Emirates were removing debris on Wednesday.

Hours after torrential rain stopped late on Tuesday, emergency personnel attempted to drain flooded roadways around the nation, but it was unclear how much damage had been done.

The national meteorological center reports that the UAE had record rainfall, with 254 mm (10 inches) dropping in less than 24 hours at Al Ain, a city on the UAE-Oman border. Prior to the UAE’s formation in 1971, records go back to 1949, and that amount was the highest.

The UAE lacks a large portion of the drainage infrastructure required to withstand prolonged rain. Roads that are partly buried in water after prolonged periods of downpour are not unusual. Usually, it only rains a few times a year. To enhance rainfall, the UAE regularly carries out cloud seeding activities. There hasn’t been any cloud seeding activity lately, according to a national meteorological center forecaster.

Seven cloud seeding operations had taken place in the days before the storm, according to the agency, as previously cited by Bloomberg. On Wednesday, the effects of the persistent heavy rain persisted, causing serious disruptions to flights and blocking of roads. One of the largest international airlines in the world, Emirates, didn’t start checking in travelers leaving Dubai until after midnight.

Significant damage was seen around the nation, including collapsed roads and flooded houses, according to local media and photos on social media.