PIA Lahore to Dubai flight PK-203; Dubai to Lahore flight PK-204, and Lahore to Sharjah flight PK-185 had to be cancelled.

ISLAMABAD: The world’s busiest air hub for international passengers Dubai International Airport has halted its operations in the chaos caused by the storm.

Dubai, the Middle East’s financial centre, has been paralysed by the torrential rain that caused floods around the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and left 18 dead in Oman on Sunday and Monday.

Twenty six flights to Pakistan from Dubai have also been cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) Lahore to Dubai flight PK-203; Dubai to Lahore flight PK-204, and Lahore to Sharjah flight PK-185 had to be cancelled.

Similarly, SereneAir’s flight from Lahore to Dubai ER-1723 was delayed by more than 10 hours, while ER-1724 will now reach Lahore from Dubai tomorrow morning after a delay of nine hours.

Emirates flight EK-622, from Dubai to Lahore, was delayed by three and a half hours, while last night Lahore-Dubai flight EK-623 was also delayed by four hours.

Likewise, Airblue’s Lahore to Dubai flight, PA-416 was also delayed, while Dubai to Lahore flight PA-411 was delayed by three and a half hours.

“Due to the continued exceptional weather event currently being experienced in the UAE, Dubai International is temporarily diverting inbound flights due to arrive this evening… until the inclement situation improves,” a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.

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Departures will continue, said the spokesperson, who earlier warned that roads around the airport have suffered major flooding and urged passengers to use public transport.

Dubai submerged in floods as UAE gets over a year’s worth of rain in hours

Heavy thunderstorms have lashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE), dumping more than a year and a half’s rain on the desert city-state of Dubai in just a few hours and flooding major highways and its international airport.

The rains began late on Monday, soaking the sands and roads of Dubai with some 20mm (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified at about 9am (05:00 GMT) on Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142mm (5.59 inches) had soaked Dubai. An average year sees 94.7mm (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.

At the airport, pools of water lapped on taxiways as aircraft landed. The airport ended up halting arrivals on Tuesday night and passengers struggled to reach terminals through the floodwater covering surrounding roads.

Dubai International Airport acknowledged on Wednesday morning that the flooding had left “limited transportation options” and affected flights as aircraft crews could not reach the airfield.

Emirates said it was suspending check-in for passengers from Dubai International from 8am until midnight on Wednesday because of operational challenges resulting from the incessant rain.

“Recovery will take some time,” the airport said on the social platform X. “We thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through these challenges.”

Police and emergency personnel drove slowly through the flooded streets of Dubai, their emergency lights shining across the darkened roads. Lightning flashed across the sky, occasionally touching the tip of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The city’s driverless Metro network also saw disruptions and flooding.

Fujairah saw the heaviest rainfall

Schools across the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, largely shut before the storm and government employees were mostly working remotely. Many other workers also stayed at home, although some ventured out, with the unfortunate finding themselves stranded in deeper-than-expected water after the water stalled their vehicles’ engines.

Authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to pump away the water, but some homes were also inundated forcing residents to bail them out.