Although heavy rains had eased by late Tuesday, disruptions were continuing on Wednesday, with Emirates airline suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai airport until midnight.
Cloud seeding
The heavy rainfall has been partially attributed to cloud seeding, sometimes known as artificial rainmaking.
The UAE initiated cloud seeding operations in 2002 to combat water security concerns,, despite the risk of flooding due to inadequate drainage in various regions.
The National Center of Meteorology in the Gulf state deployed seeding aircraft from Al Ain airport on both Monday and Tuesday, capitalizing on the formation of convective clouds, as outlined by Ahmed Habib, a specialized meteorologist.
To stimulate increased rainfall from clouds, the method involves introducing chemicals and minuscule particles—often natural salts like potassium chloride—into the atmosphere.
Airport runway under water
Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest, said it was facing significant disruptions after the heavy rains delayed or diverted flights and impacted flight crews.
Passengers departing Dubai were advised against heading to the airport and to check their flight status with their airline.
“We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions,” the airport wrote on X.
Emirates said passengers who were already in transit would continue to be processed, but warned that delays to departures and arrivals should be expected. The Dubai airport website showed hours-long delays for some arrival and departure flights.
Local media reported that an elderly Emirati man in his 70s died on Tuesday morning when his vehicle was caught in flash floods in the Ras Al Khaimah emirate, in the country's north.
In neighboring Oman, 19 people died, including schoolchildren after three consecutive days of heavy rain, according to Omani media, which published images of flooded communities.
The Times of Oman reported that they expected more rain on Wednesday. In Dubai, the skies were clear, but in some areas, the roads were quiet after the government ordered its employees and all schools to work remotely for a second consecutive day.
