Dubai International Airport Paralyzed Due to Flooding

Dubai, MINA – Dubai International Airport, which is the world’s busiest airport for international travel and the hub for long-haul airline Emirates, was paralyzed when floods submerged the runway and surrounding roads.

Severe thunderstorms hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since Monday which continued on Tuesday throughout the day, resulting in major flooding which is very rare in the country, Al Jazeera reported.

For the United Arab Emirates, this is the largest rainfall in 75 years, the National Meteorological Center and the country’s government announced via social media.

At the airport, water poured down the taxiway as the plane landed. The airport finally stopped arrivals on Tuesday evening and passengers had difficulty reaching the terminal because they had to wade through floodwater that covered the surrounding roads.

Flights to Dubai airport were temporarily diverted as a result of the “ongoing extraordinary weather event currently being experienced in the UAE,” Dubai International Airport officials said Tuesday local time in a statement.

Dubai International Airport acknowledged on Wednesday morning that the flooding had caused “limited transport options” and affected flights as flight crew were unable to reach the airfield.

Emirates said it was suspending check-in for passengers from Dubai International from 8 a.m to midnight on Wednesday due to operational constraints caused by persistent rain. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)