Flights diverted: UAE residents face power, water outages after flooding, heavy rains
Agencies
DUBAI: Dubai International (DXB) airport said it is temporarily diverting inbound flights due to arrive this evening on Tuesday until the inclement situation improves, Khaleej Times has reported.
However, it said departures will continue to operate as scheduled.
Earlier, Dubai temporarily suspended operations while 45 inbound and outbound flights were cancelled due to adverse weather. It warned that inclement weather could cause flight delays and disruption on Wednesday morning as well.
Heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, flooding out portions of major highways and leaving vehicles abandoned on roadways across Dubai.
Unstable weather has affected many UAE residents across the country. The extreme weather shocked many with its magnitude and impact, including hailstones, lighting strikes, huge thunderstorms and flooding.
In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, many buildings and neighbourhoods experienced a stoppage in electricity and water supply.
Shops and buildings in some areas had no electricity for more than an hour as a result of the strong winds and the heavy rainstorm that shook many windows.
“Our window is shaking as if it will fall on our heads. Rain is entering through it, despite it being closed,” a resident told Khaleej Times.
Similarly, other residents in that area shared their concerns about the electric and water supply stoppage, “I have lived here for so many years now, and there was no electricity stoppage that stayed for more than an hour like this one. We definitely underestimated the strength of this storm,” another resident said.
The National Centre of Meteorology warned on Monday of the extreme weather and the danger of the storm. Abu Dhabi police and the Ministry of Interior had also warned residents of the extreme weather, asking them to take caution and to drive safely.
In Dubai, the electricity and water have also seen a stoppage that hasn’t been resolved yet. Siraj, a resident of Al Warqa 1, said, “We have no electricity, no water and no power supply whatsoever; we cannot make food as we can’t even use our gas, it is flooding here, and the conditions are bizarre.”
Restaurants and groceries are experiencing a surge in demand for deliveries as residents are urged to cope with delays and difficulties in accessing essential goods. With heavy rainfall and waterlogged roads, delivery executives are grappling with challenges in fulfilling orders and serving customers promptly.
