At least 18 people have died after record floods hit the Arabian peninsula, including parts of the desert nation United Arab Emirates, during a 24-hour span, the country's National Committee for Emergency Management said via NBC News.
The Khatm Al Shakla area was reported to have received 10 inches of rain in less than one full day. The storms led to dangerous conditions throughout the normally arid region, which included swamped roadways and dangerous conditions leading to grounded flights and school closings. Passengers were warned not to travel to Dubai's airport unless it was "absolutely necessary."
"We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. Please check your flight status directly with your airline. We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions," DXB wrote on its X account.
Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, announced it was suspending check-in for all passengers at Dubai until midnight local time on Wednesday (3:00 p.m. ET).
"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Emirates is working hard to restore our scheduled operations, and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers. Please DM us if you require any assistance," the airline wrote on its X account.
The rain was reported to have surpassed any statistic since records were initially recorded in 1949, the National Center of Meteorology in Abu Dhabi claimed.