The dry desert countries of Oman and the U.A.E. are dealing with the aftermath of deadly flash floods caused by more than one year's worth of rain falling in just 24 hours, which some are attributing to climate change.

Dubai

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently amid rising sea-levels and increasing temperatures.

Climate Crisis

The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Oman, two countries known for their arid desert climates, are currently grappling with the consequences of devastating flash floods. These floods were triggered by an unprecedented amount of rainfall, with more than a year's worth falling within a mere 24-hour period. The scale and suddenness of the rainfall have led to a significant loss and damage, underscoring the severity of the flooding.

The situation has sparked discussions among experts and officials, with some pointing to climate change as a potential factor behind the unusual weather pattern. This perspective aligns with broader observations of increased weather volatility and extreme conditions globally, attributed to ongoing climatic shifts.



Record rainfall causes deadly floods in U.A.E., Oman

Built up in the desert, the United Arab Emirates wasn't made to withstand this. As some parts of the country were pounded with more rain than ever recorded in one day. The water bursting into this mall leaving staff struggling to keep up. While drivers saw roads transformed into rivers. This is the first time I see in the history of UAE how the rain comes. The Dubai International Airport considered by one measure the busiest in the world. Now left in chaos with flights disrupted. And stranded passengers recording videos of that flooded tarmac. It's a totally difficult situation. I'm trying, I want to go home. Toronto entrepreneur Irfan Shikarshi has spent half his business trip just bailing out his rented apartment. That view of the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper. Nothing to write home about this time. I've been here several times before and yeah rain maybe 10 minutes, 20 minutes maximum and over. But this, this was something else. As a cat hung on tight for dear life. A police officer went viral by making this memorable rescue. But this weather is no joke. With climate change what we see a lot is that you expect increased intensity of storms like this. For some the flooding highlights the UAE's use of flares released in the sky to spur rainfall. Known as cloud seeding it's done this way in drier climates. But this expert tells CBC News. No one can really fly in those conditions to cloud seed. So that's another indication where I can I mean for sure say that there was no cloud seeding involved in that. In Dubai schools are closed for the week and people are being told to work from home. This usually arid emirate is still drying out. Thomas Daigle, CBC News, Toronto.

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Climate Crisis