Dubai ‘underwater’ as city hit with two years’ worth of rain in one day

The United Arab Emirates experienced its largest rainfall event since records began.

Dubai usually only experiences an average of 3.12 inches of rain each year.

But the city's meteorological office said that 6.26 inches (159mm) fell between 10pm local time Monday and 10pm local time Tuesday, according to ABC News.

Across the country, the United Arab Emirates experienced on Tuesday its largest rainfall event since records began 75 years ago, the BBC reports.

The deluge caused wide scale disruption across Dubai.

Dubai 'underwater' as city hit with two years' worth of rain in one day

Flights were diverted and cancelled from Dubai Airport due to the weather conditions, which also caused mass disruption across the city.

In a statement on social media, Dubai Airport advised people not to come to the airport unless they had to.

They said: "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."

Footage shared online showed large parts of the metropolis flooded with cars left stranded in the road.

The rainfall affected neighbouring Gulf states, including Oman, where 19 people have died since Sunday as a result of the floods.

Authorities have warned that more heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast.

Meteorologist Matt Taylor said the rainfall was caused by an area of low pressure over the south of the Arabian Peninsula, which had pulled warm air into the region from the Indian Ocean.

Whilst several factors could have caused the extreme conditions, the most likely culprit is, as you may have already guessed, global warming.

Climate change and a warming atmosphere makes extreme rainfall more likely.

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