United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents woke up to heavy rainfall with strong winds, thunder, and lightning in the early hours of Thursday, May 2, with more wet weather expected throughout the day.
On Thursday, the UAE’s National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) issued an orange alert, indicating that rain-bearing clouds had covered most parts of the country.
Residents are advised to drive cautiously and use low-beam headlights to improve visibility during heavy rainfall, ensuring road safety.
While these rains are expected to be less severe than the unprecedented downpour that hit the country last month, the public is urged to take precautions.
On April 14-15, extreme rainfall battered regions of the Arabian Peninsula, with Dubai experiencing the heaviest rains on record since 1949.
Persistent rainfall on Thursday caused flooding on roads in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, tree damage due to high winds, and disruptions in flights and public transport services.
Several flights cancelled, diverted
Dubai International Airport (DXB) said 13 flights were cancelled and five were diverted due to heavy rain in the emirate.
“If you’re flying from Dubai International Airport today, please allow extra time to get to the airport as there’s some congestion on the roads,” Dubai Airports wrote on X.
“Use the Dubai Metro to get to Terminals 1 and 3, where possible.”
Emirates has announced the cancellation of several flights departing from Dubai Airport.
- EK 123/124 between Dubai and Istanbul
- EK 763/764 between Dubai and Johannesburg
- EK 719/720 between Dubai and Nairobi
- EK 921/922 between Dubai and Cairo
- EK 903/904 between Dubai and Amman
- EK 352/353 between Dubai and Singapore
Emirates said, “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience. Affected customers will be re-accommodated. Those who wish to rebook should contact their travel agent or nearest Emirates Office. All rebooking charges will be waived.”
Indian airlines issue advisory
Several Indian airlines have issued travel advisories for passengers flying to the UAE due to the country’s adverse weather conditions.
“Due to adverse weather conditions in Dubai, Sharjah & AbuDhabi, our flight operations are impacted. Please keep a track of your flight status,” said IndiGo.
Vistara said, “Due to the anticipated bad weather conditions from May 2nd to May 5th, traffic congestion is expected enroute to Dubai Airport. Customers are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport. Thank you.”
“Due to bad weather (thunderstorms with rain) in Dubai (DXB), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected,” said SpiceJet wrote on X.
From the past few days, UAE has been preparing for a wave of unstable weather, expected to peak on May 2 and continue until Friday, May 3.
On Wednesday, the country’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) elevated the readiness and preparedness levels of the national system to deal with the situation.
Dubai Metro announced the extension of operating hours ahead of expected weather conditions, extending from 12 am to 5 am (the next day). However, the number of stops for these trains was reduced.
Distance learning and remote working announced for government employees in multiple emirates, and the authorities advised private sector employers to adopt this option.
Source: With inputs from PTI
