Record rainfall in UAE disrupts travel at deluged Dubai airport

Cairo, April 17: Dubai airport, one of the world's busiest, on Wednesday advised passengers not to head to the hub "unless absolutely necessary," after the city in the United Arab Emirates suffered flooding from the heaviest rainfall seen in decades.

The airport said flights are being delayed and diverted.

"We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions," the airport added in a social media post.

Footage circulating on social media showed the airport's runways flooded and planes attempting to navigate pools of water.

Emirates, Dubai's flagship carrier, said it has suspended check-in at the Dubai airport for departing passengers until midnight due to what it called "operational challenges" caused by bad weather and road conditions.

At least 20 flights, due to depart from Dubai airport, were cancelled on Tuesday, affecting destinations, including India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, the UAE newspaper The National reported.

Roads leading to the airport remained blocked and flooded, it added.

The government of Dubai said it had extended remote working for all its employees until Wednesday, and urged private sector institutions to do the same.

On Tuesday, the UAE, a Gulf federation of seven emirates, were lashed by downpours described by its National Centre of Meteorology as the heaviest rainfall in the past 75 years.

As a result, the federal government announced extending remote working for all state employees to Wednesday.

At least one person died after his car was swept away by floods in the emirate of Ras Al Khaima, police said.

The man, a UAE citizen, was in his 70s.

In neighbouring Oman, at least 18 people died after the country was hit by torrential rains.