Unprecedented deluge in UAE captured from space by NASA
23 April 2024 08:08
The heaviest rains in 75 years have hit the United Arab Emirates, causing severe flooding. The American space agency NASA has unveiled images of the affected areas in the country following last week's heavy rainfall.
The National Center for Meteorology reported that Dubai received 201 litres per square metre and as much as 309 litres near the city of Al-Ain. Typically, the UAE sees an annual rainfall of 167–239 litres, while in Dubai, the average is just below 119 litres.
Due to water pooling on the runways, Dubai's main airport was forced to suspend operations for 25 minutes last Tuesday, cancel several departures, and reroute many arrivals. The UAE's flagship carrier, Emirates, closed check-in counters by midnight on Wednesday and urged passengers not to arrive at the terminal.
Local media have reported people being stuck in offices for over 30 hours due to the storm and impassable roads. The floodwaters also affected one of the world's largest shopping centres, Dubai Mall.
The flood seen from space
It appears the flood's impacts can be observed even from space. Two days after the rain stopped, the Landsat 9 satellite captured images showing widespread flood puddles over the United Arab Emirates. The photos highlight the Jebel Ali area in the southern part of Dubai and show the contrast in its appearance before and after the flooding occurred.
The satellite images showcase deep blue puddles, starkly contrasting with the region's typically dry, brown landscape. The satellite also noted significant flooding in Abu Dhabi, where smaller, shallow water bodies appear light blue, while larger and deeper ones exhibit a dark blue hue.
Vast stretches of dry land have taken on a light green tint after the rainfall, indicating that the soil in many areas has retained moisture from the rain, even if not completely submerged.
