The United Arab Emirates was hit by an extraordinary deluge on Tuesday, surpassing anything seen since records began in 1949.

In one day, Dubai received more than 14 cm of rain, about as much as the UAE receives in a year and a half.

Current situation of Dubai Airport pic.twitter.com/rh8wCxEKkj

— Dr Honey choudhary (DOCTORS SQUAD ) (@Doctors__squad) April 17, 2024

At Dubai International Airport (DXB), arrivals were paused temporarily, as standing water covered taxiways, with passengers struggling to reach the terminals due to surrounding floodwater blocking roads, sparking travel chaos.

In a statement about the incident, dnata told Air Cargo Week: “We are collaborating closely with our partners and authorities to mitigate any impact of the inclement weather and subsequent flight disruptions and adverse road conditions on our cargo operations in Dubai. Our teams are working diligently to process every cargo shipment as quickly as possible, keeping our valued customers updated.”

READ: Emirates SkyCargo launches direct connection with DB Schenker

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), DXB warned people to stay away from the global hub: “Due to the unprecedented weather conditions in the UAE, Dubai International (DXB) is advising passengers not to come to the airport unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. Please contact your airline for the latest information on your flight status. We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions.”

DXB confirmed that the situation had “limited transportation options,” adding that “recovery will take some time.”

WATCH: Dubai police rescue a stranded cat after record rain and massive flooding in UAE pic.twitter.com/wtyFZhySFw

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) April 17, 2024

An Emirates SkyCargo spokesperson told Air Cargo Week: “Due to inclement weather conditions in Dubai on 16th and 17th April, Emirates SkyCargo is experiencing operational challenges, including flight cancellations and delays in cargo connections due to airport logistics.”

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Emirates SkyCargo is working hard to restore our scheduled operations, and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers.”

#Dubai kisne Dubai ?? #Cloudseeding gone side ways …. Just for a 10 deg temp difference they ended up flooding the whole city pic.twitter.com/WZCgE4xhVA

— LonerMonkey Modi Ka Parivaar (@lonermonkeyy) April 17, 2024

Authorities and communities across the United Arab Emirates were still clearing debris on Wednesday after the torrential downpour killed at least one person.

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