The UAE's National Meteorological Center confirmed on the 17th that the country suffered the heaviest rainfall since records began in 1949 in the past 24 hours.
In Dubai, the rainfall on the 16th was equivalent to the local average of one and a half to two years, causing the tarmac of Dubai International Airport to be flooded and flights to land for more than two hours.
Lightning strikes in the sky from time to time, occasionally hitting the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Some shopping malls, residential areas and subway stations were flooded, some roads collapsed, and many residents reported rainwater leaking into their homes through roofs, doors and windows.
In the midst of the storm clouds, there was a rare phenomenon of "turning green in a second" in the sky of Dubai. With the arrival of the wind and rain, the green of the sky seems to fall from the sky, dyeing the whole sky green, and many local people have photographed this shocking scene.
Most schools in the UAE were closed before the rainstorms, and many government officials worked remotely from home, a measure that will continue until the 17th. An Asian Champions League semi-final in the UAE city of Al Ain has also been postponed for 24 hours due to weather.
The UAE's National Meteorological Center took to social media to call on people to "take all precautions...... Keep away from areas of stagnant water".
The UAE, located on the Arabian Peninsula, has an arid climate with occasional rainfall only during the cooler season. Due to low rainfall, some roads and facilities lack drainage systems. In response to the torrential rains, the government sent tankers to the streets and roads to pump water.
According to the Associated Press, a 70-year-old man died in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost part of the United Arab Emirates, because his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, and the Emirate of Fujairah on the east coast received the heaviest rainfall of 145 mm on the 16th.
Gulf countries such as Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia also had rain on the 16th. Oman's National Emergency Management Committee said on the 16th that the recent rains have killed at least 18 people across Oman, including 9 students.
The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai reminds Chinese citizens in the consular district to pay attention to safety precautions
Many netizens posted their experiences of experiencing the rainstorm in Dubai on social platforms.
"Yesterday's thrilling rainstorm in Dubai, as of today, many sections of the road are still in lockdown, and most people have been notified to work from home. ”
"The first time I came to Dubai, I thought it was for the desert, but I didn't expect it to come to fight the flood. ”
"I just arrived in Dubai yesterday, and today I encountered a heavy rainstorm, and the Desert Ship has become a desert water city in seconds. ”
On April 17, the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai issued a reminder -
In the early morning of April 16-17 local time, heavy rain and extreme weather occurred in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and the northern emirates, and the local meteorological department previously issued a red warning for rainfall. Our embassy immediately activated the emergency response mechanism, and learned about the affected situation of Chinese citizens from the Dubai police and overseas Chinese groups in Afghanistan. So far, no casualties have been reported among Chinese citizens. In response to the requests for help from some Chinese tourists, our embassy is urgently dealing with them.
The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai reminds Chinese-funded enterprises and Chinese citizens in the consular district, especially tourists coming to Dubai, to pay attention to weather changes and safety warnings, improve their awareness of self-protection, strengthen safety precautions, and avoid secondary disasters. In case of emergency, please call the police and contact us for assistance:
UAE local police number: 999 (emergency), 901 (non-emergency)
Ambulance: 998
Fire number: 997
The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai (Dubai and the Consular District of the Northern Emirates) has a 24-hour consular protection duty hotline: +971-43947588
The 24-hour hotline of the Global Consular Protection Service Emergency Call Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China is 0086-10-12308 and 0086-10-65612308