Storms flooded Dubai. Conspiracy theories followed Dubai, one of the world’s drier cities, spent much of the week underwater after getting hit with the heaviest thunderstorm it’s ever recorded. And yesterday, the United Arab Emirates dismissed early reports that the nation’s weather modification program might’ve been to blame. ICYMI: Dark clouds dumped half a foot of rain on Dubai, which is two years’ worth, from Monday night to Tuesday night local time. The arid city lacks many storm drains and green spaces for absorbing such a downpour, so it flooded roads, buildings, and airport tarmacs, shut down schools and businesses, and killed at least one person in the UAE and 18 people in bordering Oman. Even after the rain stopped…delays and cancellations at Dubai International Airport, which is the second-busiest airport in the world, continued yesterday, and Emirates suspended passenger check-ins through the morning for trips beginning in Dubai (though not ones connecting there). No, Dubai did not do this to itself In the early aftermath of the flooding, claims circulated on social media attributing the hefty rainfall to the UAE’s use of cloud seeding, which is when planes spray salt particles into rain clouds to give water vapor more to latch on to in an effort to boost precipitation. Californians also became unfoundedly suspicious of this geoengineering strategy after storms rocked their state in February. Causing some confusion…Bloomberg reported Tuesday that a UAE meteorology official said the country worsened the flood by seeding the approaching clouds in the preceding days, but the UAE denied this, and the same official later told CNBC that seeding planes flew but did not seed clouds, though CNBC couldn’t verify that. Even if the clouds were seeded, the tactic only boosts rainfall by 20% to 25% at best, experts say. The real culprit: Climate change, which is projected to make the UAE 15% to 30% rainier in the coming years, per Nature, and cost $38 trillion in lost global income every year by 2049, according to a study released yesterday.
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Historic rainstorm wreaks havoc in UAE, disrupts flights, floods major roads https://ift.tt/1PkhyKT The United Arab Emirates is grappling with the aftermath of a historic rainstorm that deluged the nation on Tuesday, causing unprecedented flooding and disruptions. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org Dubai International Airport, a pivotal global travel hub, is struggling to manage a backlog of flights due to a flooded runway. Major roads remain inundated, severely affecting traffic and daily operations. Recorded as the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, the storm has effectively brought much of the UAE to a standstill. The heavy damage caused by the flooding In Dubai, major thoroughfares were reduced to a crawl, with some vehicles, including buses, nearly submerged underwater. Social media footage displayed dramatic scenes of malls and homes overwhelmed by water leaks. Emergency services were stretched, with firefighters using trucks to pump waist-deep water from flooded streets while stranded drivers navigated around abandoned vehicles. The main road connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi was also shut down, adding to the chaos. A man uses his mobile as he walks on a flooded road after a rainstorm, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/RULA ROUHANA ) The airport faced significant challenges in resuming operations, with ongoing delays and diversions affecting thousands of travelers. Emirates, the largest carrier at the airport, had to suspend check-in services on Wednesday, further complicating the situation. Climate experts have linked the rainstorm, which initially hit neighboring Oman, to global warming. This points to a broader trend of extreme weather conditions exacerbated by inadequate local infrastructure. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered a comprehensive assessment of the damage and directed support for those affected by the storm. As the UAE begins its recovery, the focus is also turning to improving resilience against such rare but increasingly likely weather events. Source link via POTPOURRINEWS https://ift.tt/3CgWfYx April 25, 2024 at 03:36AM
Historic rainstorm wreaks havoc in UAE, disrupts flights, floods major roads https://ift.tt/1PkhyKT The United Arab Emirates is grappling with the aftermath of a historic rainstorm that deluged the nation on Tuesday, causing unprecedented flooding and disruptions. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org Dubai International Airport, a pivotal global travel hub, is ...
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🌬️🌪️🌀 Storm Ciarán: Breaking Records and a Glimpse into Our Climate Future 🌍 Amid the backdrop of unprecedented weather events like Storm Ciarán, there's no better time to emphasize the importance of innovative solutions in the water-tech sector. I'm delighted to share that the upcoming World Water-Tech Innovation Summit, taking place in London on February 20-21, 2024, will be a pivotal event for addressing critical water challenges and enhancing our capacity to deal with extreme weather events, particularly flooding. This year's summit will focus on several key themes, and one of the central discussions will revolve around "Flooding: Enhancing Capacity for Extreme Weather Events." As we've witnessed in recent times, the need for innovative flood management and resilience solutions has never been greater. Here's a sneak peek at some of the themes that will be explored: 🌦️ Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Addressing the vulnerabilities of our infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events and finding innovative ways to make them more resilient. 💡 Cutting-Edge Technologies: Exploring the latest technologies and innovations that can help us predict, manage, and mitigate the impacts of floods, including AI, remote sensing, and data analytics. 🤝 Public-Private Collaboration: Discussing how public and private sectors can work together to create effective solutions, share expertise, and invest in a sustainable and flood-resilient future. 📈 Data-Driven Decision-Making: Harnessing the power of data and analytics to make informed decisions in real-time during extreme weather events. 🌐 Global Perspectives: Learning from international case studies and best practices to develop a comprehensive understanding of flood management on a global scale. 🌊 Adaptive Strategies: Exploring adaptive strategies that can help communities, cities, and countries prepare for and respond to flooding events efficiently and effectively. I encourage all leaders, innovators, researchers, and policymakers in the water-tech and climate resilience space to join this critical event. Let's collaborate, share knowledge, and drive forward the solutions needed to tackle the challenges posed by extreme weather events, such as flooding. Together, we can make a positive impact and build a more sustainable future. Read the article here - https://lnkd.in/eAEAxBdc For more information and registration details, visit the World Water-Tech Innovation Summit website and be part of the change! https://lnkd.in/eJy6g6rn 🚀 #WaterTech #ClimateResilience #Innovation #ExtremeWeather #FloodManagement #WorldWaterTech #LondonSummit
Storm Ciarán is breaking records and research suggests more severe weather in future
theconversation.com
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💡 JUNE is here! Our members can access the June issue of PE&RS now 💡 A slow-moving storm system pummeled the United Arab Emirates and dropped more than a year’s worth of rain on some cities in April 2024. Heavy rain triggered flash flooding across eastern parts of the country, inundating roads and disrupting transportation. The system first hit Oman on April 14 and continued to batter the UAE through most of the day on April 16. Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, told the Associated Press that three low-pressure systems formed a train of storms slowly moving along the jet stream—the river of air that moves weather systems—toward the Persian Gulf. The strong low-pressure system delivered multiple rounds of high winds and heavy rain to the northern and eastern parts of the country. Some areas remained flooded on April 19, when Landsat 9 passed over the region for the first time since the storms. The image above (right), acquired that day with the satellite’s OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager 2), shows flooding in Jebel Ali, a town 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of Dubai. The image is false color (bands 6-5-3) to emphasize the presence of water, which appears blue. Flooding can be seen in the industrial area of Jebel Ali just south of the port and near the green resorts and parks south of Palm Jebel Ali. Parts of Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital city, were also inundated by the storms. The Landsat 9 images above show the city and surrounding area on April 3 (left) and April 19 (right), before and after the storms. On April 19, water can be seen covering the Sheikh Zayed Road, a major thoroughfare that runs through Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Patches of flooded areas are also visible in Khalifa City and Zayed City, residential areas southeast of Abu Dhabi’s downtown. The UAE’s National Center for Meteorology reported that eastern parts of the country measured up to 250 millimeters (10 inches) of rain in less than 24 hours. UAE, known for its dry desert climate, receives only about 140 to 200 millimeters (5.5 to 8 inches) of rainfall per year. Dubai International Airport (northeast of these images) recorded 119 millimeters on April 16, which is 1.5 times its typical annual rainfall. The deluge temporarily halted flights at the airport, which is among the world’s busiest for international travel. As of April 18, some of the UAE was working to recover from the flooding, according to news reports. Dubai’s international airport was reportedly still experiencing delays. NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Emily Cassidy. All of the images can be viewed online by visiting the Landsat Image Gallery, https:// landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/, image id 152703.
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Dubai's Flooded ❓️ Probably you will have seen on all news channels & social media that the UAE witnessed it's wettest day in 75 years, yesterday -Tuesday 16th April Prior to this event, the government had sounded a 3 days warning alert, of the eventuality of storms & heavy downpours. So consequently most businesses, schools & government offices had been closed & asked to work remotely since yesterday till today. What actually happened❓️ According to the WorldBank Climate change knowledge report. In recent years, the UAE averages between 140 – 200 mm of rainfall per year, with some mountainous areas experiencing up to 350 mm/year That is about 11.7 - 16.7 mm of rainfall per month However in the nights of Monday to Tuesday the weather department recorded the highest rainfall in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain, [Under the emirate of Abu Dhabi] reaching 254 mm in less than 24 hrs. That's over 1.5 years much of rainfall happening in less than 24hours Let's put this into perspective ⤵️ In 2023, on average monthly rainfall in London was over 72.7 mm of rainfall in 30 days So yesterday alone, I'm less than 24 hours the UAE witnessed over 3.5 times as much rain than London would experience in 30 days. That is surpassing any recorded precipitation since data collection began in 1949. Bearing in mind that rain is unusual in the UAE, an arid, Arabian Peninsula nation, but occurs periodically during the cooler winter months. So naturally many roads & other areas lack drainage given the lack of regular rainfall, causing flooding. - Lightning flashed Tuesday across the sky, occasionally touching the tip of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. - The city's driverless Metro saw disruptions and flooded stations as well. - Schools across the Emirates, largely shut ahead of the storm and government employees were largely working remotely if able. However, in prompt response: 📌 The police & emergency personnel drove slowly through the flooded streets of Dubai. 📌 Authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets & highways to pump away the water. Contrary to most cites I know, even with such heavy rains : - The electrical Power was and is much operational Back home if even half of such rain fell We would go for weeks without electricity All in all the UAE 🇦🇪 remains a nation where dreams come through Spear-Headed by a visionary leadership Long live the UAE 🇦🇪 We keep getting better everyday PS: How are floods handled in your country ❓️ Comment below ⤵️ New to my page ❓️ As an Off-Plan Specialist I help in the seamless selection, purchasing & selling of property anywhere in the UAE 🇦🇪 Get an exclusive AI property search via 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/gZ7k9cvU Or DM for a talk today #UAE #dubai #AbuDhabi #sharjah #Fujairah #RAK #ajman #prosperity
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Scientists of climate science and atmospheric physics do not know anything else except this sentence: (The reason for these disasters is climate change and global warming caused by fossil fuels.) Scientists who in the past years saw colloidal dust storms as food for the Amazon trees: what do they now have to say about the drying of the Amazon trees and the creation of devastating floods in these areas? https://lnkd.in/ddYH5sXh https://lnkd.in/dfXiUKnV At the end of this report, there is important information that brings us closer than ever to proving the new scientific theory of the natural suffocation cycle of the planet. #NewScientificTheoryOfTheEarthNaturalSuffocationCycle If we consider the role of third-type aerosols in the drying of trees and the formation of atmospheric lenses as the basis of these natural disasters, it must be said that the role of the powerful hydrogen explosion of the former Soviet Union in the destruction of atmospheric lenses (1961) and the increase in the intensity of rainfall in these areas is quite evident. #NewScientificTheoryOfTheEarthNaturalSuffocationCycle #BehavioralPhysicsofNaturalColloidalParticles #climateresilience #DVK #airpollution #airquality #netzero #climatechange #CO2 #carbonemissions #StateOfClimate #Mark #Foed #wildfire #airquality #FBF2024 #geology #geologist #geologyrocks #geophysicist #energytransition #climatescience #earthobservation #earthscience #earthsciences #sciencecommunication #scienceeducation #meteorology #atmosphere #atmospheric #earthscience #earthobservation #physics #geophysics #science #dataanalytics #scienceexploration #politics #physics #aerosol #atmospher #airpollution #InternationalDayofCombatingSandandDustStorms #opendata #wildfires #globalwarming #showusthedata #geopoliticalrisk #ipccreport #politik #Copernicus #climatechangeadaptation #WHO #IPCC #UNClimateChange #NOAA #Cop10 #AirPollution #Air #AirReport #NASA #COP28 #IAEA #EPA #EPA #ipccreport #globalwarming #climatecrisis #COP26 #temperature #unavoidableopportunity #climateresilience #ActOnClimate #wildfires #data #oceans #globalwarming #technology #netzero #scenarios #ClimateAction #ExponentialChange #banks #oilandgas #lowcarbon #Fossilindustrie #Produktion #FDP #africa #water #drought #extremeweather #climatecrisis #foodcrisis #climate #climatescience #earthobservation #earthscience #geology #environmentalscience #sciencenews #scienceeducation #sciencecommunication #abpoli #cdnpoli #anthropocene
Aligning financial flows with a low carbon, climate resilient future | Views expressed here are my own
In the country’s south, up to half of the annual predicted rain fell in just 10 days – the third such event in a year. Experts say it is time to plan for a new normal. https://lnkd.in/eB4FDQW5 According to the Civil Defence, there are more than 100 people dead, more than a 130 missing, and nearly 400 people injured in 425 affected municipalities. At least 232,125 people have left their homes: 67,542 are in shelters, and 164,583 are homeless or temporarily staying with family or friends. Cities such as Eldorado do Sul, Roca Sales, and Canoas were partly flooded, and villages such as Cruzeiro do Sul were devastated in what the state governor, Eduardo Leite, described as “the greatest catastrophe of all”. Porto Alegre, the state capital and one of Brazil’s largest urban centres, is one of the worst-affected cities. On 5 May, the level of the Guaíba River, which runs through the city, reached a record of 5.35 meters, surpassing the 4.76 meters reached during the historic floods of 1941. “We knew it would be a unique event, and the river would overflow within a few days. We did simulations with the data we recorded, and the result was terrifying. So we alerted the authorities,” says Joel Goldenfum, the director of the Institute of Hydraulic Research at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, who is leading research on the unfolding catastrophe in Porto Alegre. Extreme floods were relatively uncommon in Rio Grande do Sul. However, scientists believe that climate factors are now accelerating such events. These include an intense wind current in the region, which destabilised the climate; an atmospheric block, which emerged after a heatwave that made the centre of Brazil drier, concentrating the rain in the country’s northern and southern extremes; and a moisture corridor from the Amazon, which strengthened the torrential rain. Twenty years ago, a study produced by the climate researchers José Antonio Marengo and Wagner Rodrigues Soares identified a significant increase in precipitation in southern Brazil and warned of its consequences. A more recent study published by the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) indicated that the number of days Porto Alegre suffers “extreme precipitation” – rainfall above 50 millimetres – has more than doubled since the 1960s. From 1961 to 1970, there were 29 days a year. This number increased to 44 days between 2001 and 2010 and rose to 66 days from 2011 to 2020.
Brazil is reeling from catastrophic floods. What went wrong – and what does the future hold?
theguardian.com
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Torrential rain and thunderstorms lashed the #Canadian province of #NovaScotia last week in what was deemed its worst rainfall event in 50 years. Flash-#flooding resulted, leading Novia Scotia to declare a two-week state of emergency last Saturday. At least three people died in the floods, up to 600 had to evacuate their homes, and power cuts affected a further 80,000. #Storms began on the Friday (21 July) and continued into Sunday, with some areas seeing three months’ worth of rain – about 250 mm – in the space of 24 hours. It had already been a particularly wet summer for Nova Scotia. The provincial capital, #Halifax, had its third wettest June on record, receiving more than double the amount of rain that had fallen in the three months prior. Last week’s storm caused damage to buildings and infrastructure, with several roads washed away and at least seven bridges believed to need major repair or replacement. The northern #Philippines and #Taiwan have also received heavy rainfall. #Typhoon Doksuri threaded between the two nations as it tracked north-eastwards into the #SouthChinaSea, achieving a peak category 4 status in the Philippine Sea on Tuesday, with winds of up to 150mph, before weakening to category 3 as it skirted the northern Philippines on Wednesday. It brought widespread damage and significant flooding to the northern island of Luzon, and almost 400mm of #rainfall was recorded in some areas. Doksuri further weakened to category 2 as it passed to the south-west of Taiwan on Thursday but heavy rainfall continued, with up to 700mm recorded in places. The typhoon is on track to make landfall in the #Chinese province of Fujian on Friday, potentially restrengthening before it does so because of the warm sea temperatures in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, a #heatwave has continued to plague large areas of #Europe and parts of northern #Africa. Though temperatures reached the mid- to high 40s Celsius in places, the all-time #European record of 48.8C so far looks to have remained unbroken. The long-term hot and dry weather triggered #wildfires in #Greece, southern Italy and northern parts of #Algeria and #Tunisia. Temperatures look likely to ease a little in the coming days, though there could be a return to highs above 40C in #Spain next week.
Weather tracker: parts of Canada record three months of rain in a day
theguardian.com
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https://lnkd.in/dRvtNSHa Japan floods: three die as island hit by 'heaviest' rainfall By Graeme Baker Three people were killed and three others are missing in flooding in southwest Japan caused by the region's "heaviest" rain ever. Rivers overflowed and hillsides collapsed as record amounts of rain were dumped on parts of Kyushu island. The national weather agency logged 402.5mm falling in Kurume on Monday, the highest ever recorded in the city. Roads and powerlines were cut, and thousands were ordered to evacuate as further downpours were expected. Satoshi Sugimoto, of the Japanese Meteorological Agency, said he believed the downpours were "the heaviest ever experienced" in the region. Evacuation notices were issued to thousands of people At least three people died in the flooding but the toll could rise, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told AFP news agency. Three people were missing in some of the remotest areas of the island. "We express our condolences to those who died, and our heartfelt sympathy towards those who were affected by the disaster," Mr Matsuno said. The downpours prompted evacuation notices for hundreds of thousands of people and remote communities remain effectively cut off by flooding and other damage, he said. An elderly woman died when she was trapped in a house engulfed in mud in Soeda, Fukuoka province, local authorities said. Her husband survived. Another victim was apparently washed away by a flooded river while riding in a car in Kurume. Japan is currently in its annual rainy season, which often brings heavy downpours, and sometimes results in flooding and landslides as well as casualties. According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the heaviest rainfall recorded in Japan was in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, on 12 October, 2019, when 922.5mm fell in one day. Scientists say climate change is intensifying the risk of heavy rain in Japan and elsewhere, because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. The weather agency said it had already been raining for more than a week in the region before the heavy downpours that arrived Sunday night. And while the sun was shining in many areas on Tuesday, officials have warned of more rain in the forecast, which could loosen already sodden ground. Landslides are a particular risk in Japan during heavy rains because homes are often built on plains at the bottom of hillsides in the mountainous country. See insights and ads Boost post All reactions: 1 1
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https://lnkd.in/evgdHmfN WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – As millions of Americans braced for a new round of storms across the United States on Saturday, news emerged of potential “weather wars” between countries if cloud seeding gets out of hand. The comments follow deadly torrential rain in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which caused extreme flooding this week. The downpour, which began on Monday, brought widespread disruption, closing schools, flooding homes and delaying travel. Experts are debating whether the torrential rain was caused by cloud seeding, when planes inject clouds with chemicals, sparking precipitation. The practice was introduced in the 1940s and is now only used in areas with little rainfall, such as the UAE. If the artificial method of producing rain was responsible, it could raise questions about the climate-change-fearing experts’ assessment that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions linked to human activity were a factor in the unseasonable rainfall. Johan Jaques, a senior meteorologist at environmental technology company KISTERS, warned there could be “unintended consequences” when technology is used to alter the weather. WEATHER WARS He stressed there could be diplomatic consequences and subsequent “weather wars” where the technique is used as a weapon or countries fearing they may be impacted by artificial rain fighting back. “Cloud seeding aims to enhance and accelerate the precipitation process. Especially in areas which have not seen any rain over a long time, such intense precipitation can lead to infiltration excess flow, with potential flash floods as a result,” Jaques added. “The Dubai floods act as a stark warning of the unintended consequences we can unleash when we use such technology to alter the weather,” he said. “Additionally, we have little control over the aftermath of cloud seeding. Where exactly is it going to be raining effectively? Using techniques like cloud seeding to bring much-needed rainfall in one area can cause flash floods and droughts in another.” Severe weather patterns also impacted other nations, including the United States, after at least 25 confirmed tornadoes touched down this week in the U.S. States of Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri. Since Thursday, the new storm system has been moving into the Midwest and parts of the South, bringing a threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail. The severe weather was to stretch from Texas to Indiana, with the highest threat for tornadoes in Missouri and Illinois. Damaging winds and hail will be possible near Dallas and Little Rock, Arkansas, meteorologists said.
Millions Brace For More Storms Amid Talk Of ‘Weather Wars’
https://www.worthynews.com
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Environment Storm Babet has caused havoc across the UK, with strong winds and rough seas along the east coast, record breaking rainfall and river levels in Scotland, overtopped flood defences, closed roads and railways and sadly at least two deaths. The impacts are not over as further rain is expected. Preparing for more extreme events in the future This is yet another reminder that the climate is changing and we will see more extreme rainfall, putting more people at risk. The “Clausius-Clapeyron” relationship states that for every 1°C increase in air temperature there is 7% more moisture – meaning that there is more rainfall in a given downpour.
Storm Babet caused dangerous floods as the 'dry side' of Scotland isn't used to such torrential rain
theconversation.com
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The rainfall event was extreme by Dubai's historical standards, but the lack of storm drains is what tipped it over to become a disaster. And to the ridiculous conspiracy theorists, the extreme rainfall was NOT due to cloud seeding. First, no cloud seeding took place before the storm. Second, cloud seeding can only condense out what is already in the atmosphere. With each 1 degC warming, the atmosphere holds 7% more water vapour. That is the fundamental reason for more extreme rainfall events. And it's going to get worse and worse. "Mr Karim Elgendy, associate director at the Buro Happold engineering consultancy, said drainage for storm water had not been widely included in planning for the city, much of which is only a few years old. “Someone must have vetoed this because of the fact that it hardly rains. This conversation, I think, when it happened, was short,” he told AFP. “Water is locked in. If you have a hard surface like the road or the airport, where will it go? The ground is too hard (to absorb water),” Mr Elgendy added. Without drainage for excess water, authorities rely on pumping trucks to suck it up with giant hoses and drive it away. Mr Elgendy called this a “stopgap” measure. But he said it was very difficult to install storm water systems once infrastructure has been built. “Once a city is built in a certain way, retrofitting storm water management is next to impossible,” he said." "Climate change will make extreme weather events more common, Mr Elgendy warned, saying the storm – which dumped up to two years’ worth of rain on the Gulf country – was consistent with the effects of global warming. “What this particular incident highlights is that the historic calculus on (whether to install storm water systems) has changed, because there is a cost,” he said. “There’s also a reputational cost. These scenes of the runways and airplanes taking off in water – I don’t think that’s consistent with Brand Dubai,” he added, referring to widely shared footage of planes taxiing through standing water on April 16." https://lnkd.in/gvVcsdsD
Lacking storm drains, Dubai sees persistent flooding
straitstimes.com
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