Heavy Rain and Floods Kill 19 in Oman and Disrupt Dubai Airport

Record levels of rainfall have brought cities in the United Arab Emirates and Oman to a standstill, with at least 19 people killed in Oman and flights being diverted from Dubai’s airport.

In the U.A.E., authorities urged all residents to stay at home, as videos showed cars submerged on gridlocked highways and planes leaving waves in their wake as they taxied down flooded runways in Dubai. In Muscat, Oman’s capital, flash flooding turned streets into raging rivers.

Experts said the extreme deluge was likely the result of a regular, rainy weather system being supercharged by climate change.

The storm first hit Oman on Sunday, causing widespread flash flooding and leading officials to close schools and government offices. On Wednesday, the heavy rain appeared to be easing, although the authorities warned residents to remain cautious.

Several areas of Oman received over 230 millimeters, or about 9 inches, of rain between Sunday and Wednesday, according to the country’s National Committee for Emergency Management. The average annual rainfall in Muscat, the nation’s capital, is about 100 millimeters, although other parts of the country can receive more rain.

By Wednesday morning, 19 deaths had been confirmed by the emergency management committee, including an infant, and others had been reported missing. Ten of the dead were schoolchildren who were swept away in a vehicle with an adult, according to The Associated Press. Some schools remained closed in Oman on Wednesday, and some government employees were told to work from home.