Dubai Urges Residents to Stay Home Due to Heavy Rainfall

Dubai's police urged residents of the emirate on Thursday to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, as heavy rain is expected in this desert country, which recorded record rainfall last year.

This appeal came just hours after rain in the emirate caused flooding in the streets.

"For your safety, please remain cautious as unstable weather conditions are expected in the coming hours, and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary until Friday noon," the police stated in a message sent to phones.

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has warned of rainfall across the country from Thursday to Friday, including in Dubai and the capital, Abu Dhabi.

Other Gulf countries also experienced heavy rain on Thursday, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where bad weather led to the cancellation of an Arab Cup match.

In April 2024, record rainfall hit the United Arab Emirates, flooding homes and turning streets into rivers.

These rains, exacerbated by a lack of drainage systems, paralyzed Dubai Airport, the world's busiest for international passengers, and resulted in the deaths of at least four people.