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Unprecedented rainfall lashed the middle of the UAE on Tuesday, inflicting widespread flooding throughout Dubai.
The extraordinary climate occasion, which dumped a yr's value of rainfall in a matter of hours, resulted in flooding of main highways, residential areas and even the tarmac of Dubai Worldwide Airport, bringing the bustling city-state to its limits. Was pushed until.
Torrential rains additionally hit neighboring Oman, leading to 18 deaths, in accordance with the AP.
The torrential downpour resulted in over 120 millimeters (4.75 in) of rainfall, affecting town's infrastructure and inflicting autos to cease as roads have been flooded.
Heavy rains brought about widespread disruption, together with Dubai Worldwide Airport, the world's second busiest airport, which was submerged in water.
Movies circulating on-line confirmed massive planes passing via flooded runways.
JUST IN: Dubai Worldwide Airport was pressured to divert flights after torrential rain left the runway trying like a sea.
Residents are being requested to remain indoors as thunder, lightning, hail and heavy rain are occurring within the space.
Dubai noticed extra rain than that in a single day… pic.twitter.com/hCvbprxUSK
– Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) 16 April 2024
DEVELOPING: With Dubai underwater, influencers are stranded on flooded roads of their Rolls Royces as a storm hits the area, turning the sky black in an apocalyptic scene.
Greater than 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain fell at the moment – the conventional annual common within the metropolis – with extra… pic.twitter.com/HhtOOBi0l6
– Dom Lucre | breaker of narratives (@dom_lucre) 16 April 2024
#Dubai The storm has simply intensified. loopy windy pic.twitter.com/rLWzEBSna9
– Toby Cunningham (@sircryptotips) 16 April 2024
Final minute climate in Dubai pic.twitter.com/9XD2Z7Atit
– Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) 16 April 2024
The sudden rain has sparked debate on social media, with many customers pointing the finger at cloud seeding actions in Dubai.
Robbie Starbuck highlighted the risks of climate manipulation, saying, “I've seen some individuals blame local weather change when it's really brought about by means of climate modification. This occurred attributable to cloud seeding the place chemical compounds are sprayed into clouds to trigger rain. We lately banned this follow in our dwelling state of Tennessee. “Anytime you modify the local weather, you put together for unintended penalties.”
Dubai airport appears to be like like one thing from a post-apocalyptic film. The flood movies are loopy.
I’ve seen some individuals blame local weather change when it’s really brought about by means of climate modification.
This occurred attributable to cloud seeding the place chemical compounds are sprayed into clouds to trigger rain. We lately… pic.twitter.com/AoejGxJNnt
– Robbie Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) 16 April 2024
In response to the rising controversy, Grazia reached out to a meteorological skilled from the Center East NCM, who confirmed that the cloud seeding operation had certainly been carried out over the previous 24 hours, with six journeys made out of Monday to Tuesday afternoon.
The skilled stated these operations are customary at any time when appropriate clouds are current within the sky.
Grazia reported:
What causes storms and torrential rains in UAE? sure, it was cloud seeding
Grazia Center East spoke to a meteorologist from the NCM, who confirmed that cloud seeding operations have been carried out prior to now 24 hours. The consultant additionally shared particulars of what number of journeys befell.
“Each time there are clouds within the sky, we supply out cloud seeding operations. From yesterday until at the moment (Tuesday afternoon), we made six journeys,” he stated.
This was additionally confirmed however the consultant stated that attributable to cloud seeding we are going to see a drop in temperatures within the UAE.
“There was a major drop within the temperature at the moment and the temperature dropped by about 10 levels Celsius on Wednesday,” he stated.
Nonetheless, the temperature is anticipated to rise as soon as the climate stabilizes from Wednesday night. Wet situations are anticipated in japanese and northern components of the nation resembling Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah on April 17.
Cloud seeding is a sort of climate modification method geared toward growing precipitation – principally, it’s an try to make it rain or snow extra naturally. This course of entails including substances to clouds that encourage the expansion of ice or water droplets, inflicting precipitation.
Bloomberg reported:
The United Arab Emirates started cloud seeding operations in 2002 to deal with water safety points, though lack of drainage in lots of areas can result in flooding.
The Gulf state's Nationwide Meteorological Heart dispatched seeding planes from Al Ain airport on Monday and Tuesday to benefit from convective cloud formations, in accordance with skilled meteorologist Ahmed Habib. That method entails injecting chemical compounds and small particles – usually pure salts like potassium chloride – into the ambiance to make clouds produce extra rain.
Amid fears of an increase in heat-related deaths within the UAE attributable to world warming, Dubai's media workplace described the rain as “rain of goodness” regardless of properties being flooded and swimming swimming pools overflowing.
In accordance with Habib on the NCM, the newest storms adopted heavy rains earlier this yr. He stated seeding plane have flown seven missions within the final two days.
“You possibly can function any cloud that’s appropriate for the UAE,” he stated.