Dubai is slowly returning to normality as planes gradually begin hitting runways again, but cars are still stranded in deep water as the city struggles to get to grips with the recent flooding crisis.
This week’s devastating flash floods, which have now killed 20 people in Oman and one in the UAE, plunged Dubai into a living nightmare as shops and buildings were crushed into ruins and vehicles had to be abandoned as they became submerged in murky waters .
Emirates, Dubai’s flagship airline, and sister carrier Flydubai resumed check-in after telling passengers to stay away on Wednesday as thousands of delayed passengers clogged the airport.
Authorities at Dubai International Airport, which handles more international passengers than any other airport, said Thursday they had begun receiving inbound flights at Terminal 1, used by foreign airlines, but outbound flights were still delayed.
They later announced that check-in was open at Terminal 3 for Emirates and flydubai flights.
Although the city returns to some level of normalcy in the skies, cars remain submerged in deep water on the once busy roads
Vehicles were abandoned after the flash floods hit and remain drowned in water
Passengers are now freer to come and go from Dubai International Airport as several flights have resumed (April 17 photo)
Passengers checked flight information on screens at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday
Footage from Tuesday at the airport – the world’s busiest for international travel – showed passengers sleeping on the floor as they waited for flights abroad
The airport hopes to resume “something approaching normality” within 24 hours, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, told AFP.
About 1,244 flights were canceled and 41 diverted on Tuesday and Wednesday after heavy rains flooded the Middle East’s financial hub, including its homes, shopping malls, offices and highways.
Over the past three days, the airport has witnessed chaotic scenes with crowds of stranded travelers clamoring for information about their flights.
At the start of the flooding, images and footage from stranded travelers showed people camping on the floors of airport waiting rooms as they desperately sought shelter from the harsh, bizarre weather.
Hundreds of passengers complained that they were not allowed to leave the building due to the dangers of flooding as water flowed past the airport with cars and other debris swept from the streets.
Even as Emirates and Flydubai resumed check-ins, more than 200 departures were listed as delayed or canceled on the airport’s website.
Airport authorities say staff are struggling to deliver food to stranded passengers as all roads leading to the airport are blocked by floods.
“It was a huge challenge to get supplies, people and all the necessary things to the airport to restore service because all the roads were blocked,” Griffiths said.
Roads are blocked by the extreme water levels, meaning the airport cannot receive food and other necessities for passengers stranded at the airport
The devastating rains left even trucks and buses flooded as the city slowly began a clean-up
Recent footage shows locals rowing around to navigate the underwater city
Shops and buildings have also been affected by the heavy flooding
‘We just hope that the level of customer service we have been able to provide will in some way mitigate the impact we have had on our customers.
“But it is clear that we are deeply saddened by all the disruption and concern we have caused,” he added.
With flights to and from the city returning to some normalcy, schools and public sector offices are closed until next week.
Traffic congestion remained severe on Thursday, two days after the storm, with at least one main road completely blocked by water and several intersections closed by flooding.
Recent images of yesterday’s destruction show vehicles still drowning in the deluge.
Some vehicles were completely submerged, with the top of their roof barely breaking the surface of the water.
People have been spotted rowing around the city in small inflatable boats as they try to navigate the huge water levels.
Major roads are depicted sinking into the murky depths as those patient enough attempt to slowly make their way through the area.
Two days after the flooding, shops and businesses are slowly opening as the massive clean-up operation continues.
Climate experts say the rainfall, the heaviest in the UAE since records began 75 years ago, is consistent with changes caused by global warming.
A man walks along flooded roads after heavy rain in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 18, 2024
Scores of vehicles have been abandoned by their owners as they fled amid the horrific floods
By the end of Tuesday, Dubai had been soaked with more than 17.5 centimeters of rain for more than 24 hours
The storms intensified around 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail on the overwhelmed city.
By the end of Tuesday, Dubai had been soaked with more than 17.5 centimeters of rain for more than 24 hours.
In an average year, 3.73 centimeters of rain falls.
An elderly Emirati man in his 70s died yesterday morning when his vehicle was caught in flash floods in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, in the north of the country.
Emergency services worked to clear the boggy roads on Thursday to assess people stuck in traffic, offices and homes.
Although the UAE reportedly had moments of sunshine on Thursday, authorities warned that more thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds were forecast in the region.
In Oman, more than 1,400 people have been evacuated to shelters, while schools and government offices have been closed.
UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered a review of the country’s infrastructure affected by the storm.
He asked authorities to assess the damage and provide support to the affected families, including moving them to safe locations.
In a conciliatory message on . corner of the country of all its citizens and inhabitants.’
