Severe thunderstorms battered the United Arab Emirates (UAE), unleashing over a year and a half's worth of rain on Dubai in just a few hours, causing flooding on major highways and at the international airport.
The downpour began on Monday night, drenching the desert city with approximately 20mm (0.79 inches) of rain, as recorded at Dubai International Airport.
The intensity escalated on Tuesday morning, persisting throughout the day and bringing more rain and hail.
By the day's end, Dubai had received more than 142mm (5.59 inches) of rain, significantly surpassing its average annual rainfall of 94.7mm (3.73 inches) at the airport, which is the world's busiest for international travel and a key hub for Emirates airlines.
Water pooled on the taxiways as planes touched down at the airport. Arrivals were halted on Tuesday night, and passengers faced difficulties navigating through flooded roads to reach the terminals.
Dubai International Airport admitted on Wednesday morning that the flooding had limited transportation options and impacted flights due to the inability of aircraft crews to access the airfield.
Emirates announced the suspension of passenger check-ins from Dubai International from 8 am to midnight on Wednesday due to operational challenges caused by continuous rainfall.