Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest air port, on Wednesday morning advised passengers not to go to the airport due to flooding that has affected the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Domestic airline Emirates announced this morning that it has suspended passenger check-in until midnight. According to state news agency WAM, Tuesday’s rains were the country’s heaviest in at least 75 years. Flash floods claimed one life in UAE, 18 people died in Oman due to rains on Sunday.
“Emirates is suspending check-in for passengers departing DXB on April 17 from 8am until midnight due to operational issues due to poor weather and road conditions,” the airline said Emirates on the X network.
Dubai International Airport subsequently advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless necessary. “Flights continue to be delayed and delayed. Please check the status of your flight with your carrier, we are trying to resume operations as soon as possible,” it wrote DXB. Passengers who are already at the airport will be checked in, but delays in departures and arrivals are also expected today.
It started raining in the UAE on Monday, on Tuesday the rains got even stronger and by the evening about 142 millimeters of rain had fallen in Dubai, the AP agency wrote. Water flooded the main highways and runways at Dubai International Airport, causing flight delays already on Tuesday.
A 70-year-old man died when his car was swept off the road by floodwaters in the north of the UAE on Tuesday. The authorities in the UAE canceled classes in schools even today, somewhere today they are teaching students remotely via the Internet. Government officials also worked from home on Tuesday. Many other company employees also did not come to work, AP reported.
