Severe flooding occurred in Dubai on Tuesday after record rainfall in less than 24 hours, according to official data. That amount is equivalent to two years of rainfall.
According to the Dubai Meteorological Department, Dubai received a whopping 6.26 inches of rainfall in the 24-hour period from 10pm local time on Monday to 10pm local time on Tuesday. The city, which typically receives an average annual rainfall of 3.12 inches, was bracing for an unusually large flood.
Due to the extreme weather, the airport had to divert arriving flights scheduled for Tuesday evening. Outbound flights were not affected.
All government institutions, private schools and daycare centers in Dubai asked their staff and students to stay at home that day due to the bad weather.
In Dubai, the majority of the annual rainfall (approximately 92%) usually occurs between November and March. Precipitation is not very high on average, but April has very little precipitation, about 0.13 inches.
Experts link increased rainfall and resulting extreme weather events, such as flooding, to human-induced climate change. This phenomenon not only increases the frequency of such extreme weather events, but also puts additional pressure on infrastructure that is ill-equipped to handle the rapid influx of water.
The intensity of possible extreme weather events, including heavy rains that cause flooding, may further increase.
