DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The sun finally returned Wednesday to the normally desert oasis of the Persian Gulf, giving residents a sobering look at the deadly flooding that crippled cities and isolated villages across several countries.
Residents and school children were ordered to work and learn from home for a second day in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On Tuesday, the city saw more than two years’ worth of rainfall in just one day.
Al Ain, on the Oman border, saw 10 inches of rain in just 24 hours, according to the UAE National Meteorology Center. That set a record in the UAE’s 75 years of recordkeeping.
VIDEO: CAT CLINGS TO CAR DOOR IN DUBAI FLOODING BEFORE BEING SCOOPED UP BY RESCUERS
Emirates Airlines warned passengers to avoid Dubai International Airport until Thursday. The world’s second-busiest airport led the FlightAware list for cancelations and delays. On Tuesday, about a quarter of all incoming and outgoing flights were canceled, while more than half were delayed and the airport diverted incoming flights.
Incredible video taken out of a jet’s window appears to be while the plane was flying over the ocean. However, the plane was on the tarmac surrounded by floodwater along with countless others.
“There are hundreds and thousands of other passengers just like me in this airport who have been waiting for 10 hours, 16 hours, some even for 24 to 30 hours,” a man who was on a layover from Paris to Kolkata told a Reuters reporter. “It’s not raining outside. The weather is clear. It’s sunny. The water level has gone down.”
News agency i24 reported that the airport is a popular layover for Israelis who started early Passover vacations.
Countless photos showed residents, used to seeing only 3.16 inches of rain in an entire year, wading through streets. Muddy abandoned cars littered the still flooded roads and highways. Some roads collapsed under the weight and stress.
DUBAI FLOODING PROMPTS ORDERS TO ‘STAY AT HOME’ AFTER CITY GETS 2 YEARS OF RAIN IN ONE DAY
One man died in the UAE when his car was swept off the road, according to Reuters.
Iran lost two people, according to the Associated Press. Iran’s emergency manager reported that another person died from a lightning strike.
“The devastating flood has affected the area not only financially – many people have died as well,” a social worker told Reuters about flooding over the past three days. “The animals were killed and the crops were destroyed by the flooding. I would request the government and Rescue 1122 to come immediately for relief as many people still can’t go to safer places.”
Floods killed 18 people in Oman. Nine of those were children who died with their teacher trapped in a school bus that was swept off the road.
FLOODING IN OMAN SWEEPS AWAY SCHOOL BUS KILLING 10
The National Center for Emergency Management announced Wednesday that crews completed the search for any missing persons.
Bahrain canceled school for the rest of the week after devastating flooding.
Forecasts for most countries are dry, but Iran’s weather office warned of dust storms followed by the chance for more rain late in the week. As the ground is already saturated, the agency also warned of possible evacuations due to flash flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.
At least 53 people died in Pakistan, and another 50 were injured by the flooding, according to the United Nation’s Relief Web report. More than 1,400 homes were damaged and more than 200 livestock animals were killed. The heavy rain also stopped the wheat harvest and damaged the crop.