Desert Metropolis Under Water: A Year’s Worth of Rain Causes Massive Flooding in Dubai — Cloud Seeding Operation was Carried Out in the Last 24 Hours
Unprecedented rainfall struck the heart of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, causing extensive flooding throughout Dubai.
The intense weather event, which delivered a year’s worth of precipitation in just a few hours, resulted in the flood of major highways, residential areas, and even the tarmac of Dubai International Airport, pushing the bustling city-state to its limits.
The torrential downpour also affected neighboring Oman, resulting in 18 deaths, according to AP.
The downpour resulted in over 120 millimeters (4.75 inches) of rain, overwhelming the city’s infrastructure and leading to the abandonment of vehicles on flooded roads.
The heavy rainfall also caused major disruptions, including at Dubai International Airport, the world’s second-busiest airport, which was submerged under water.
Videos circulated online showed large aircraft navigating through flooded runways.
JUST IN: Dubai International Airport forced to divert flights after torrential downpour causes the runway to look like an ocean.
Citizens are being told to stay inside as thunder, lighting, hail and heavy rain slams the region.
Dubai saw more rainfall in one day than they… pic.twitter.com/hCvbprxUSK
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 16, 2024
DEVELOPING: Dubai underwater, Influencers are stranded in their Rolls Royces in flooded roads as skies turn black in apocalyptic scenes as storm hits region.
More than 4.7ins (120mm) of rain has already fallen today – the typical yearly average in the city – with more… pic.twitter.com/HhtOOBi0l6
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) April 16, 2024
#Dubai storm just ramped up. Crazy windy pic.twitter.com/rLWzEBSna9
— Toby Cunningham (@sircryptotips) April 16, 2024
End Times weather in Dubai pic.twitter.com/9XD2Z7Atit
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 16, 2024
The sudden onslaught of rain has sparked a debate on social media, with many users pointing fingers at the cloud seeding activities in Dubai.
Robby Starbuck, highlighted the hazards of weather manipulation, stating, “I’ve seen some blaming climate change when the cause is actually from the use of weather modification. Cloud seeding where chemicals are sprayed in clouds to create rain caused this. We recently banned this practice in my home state of Tennessee. Anytime you modify the weather you open yourself up to unintended consequences.”
Dubai airport looks like an apocalyptic movie. Videos of the flooding are insane.
I’ve seen some blaming climate change when the cause is actually from the use of weather modification.
Cloud seeding where chemicals are sprayed in clouds to create rain caused this. We recently… pic.twitter.com/AoejGxJNnt
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 16, 2024
In response to the growing controversy, GRAZIA Middle East reached out to a meteorology expert from the NCM who confirmed that cloud seeding operations had indeed been carried out in the last 24 hours, with six trips executed from Monday to Tuesday afternoon.
The expert explained that these operations are standard whenever suitable clouds are present in the sky.
GRAZIA reported:
WHAT CAUSED THE UAE STORMS & TORRENTIAL RAIN? YES, IT WAS CLOUD SEEDING
GRAZIA Middle East spoke to a meteorology expert from the NCM, who confirmed that cloud seeding operations had been conducted in the last 24 hours. The representative also shared details on how many of the trips took place.
“Whenever there are clouds in the sky, we conduct cloud seeding operations. From yesterday till today [Tuesday afternoon], we carried out six trips,” he said.
It was also confirmed but the representative that we will see a drop in temperatures in the UAE due to the cloud seeding.
“There is a significant decrease in temperatures today and on Wednesday, it’s a drop of around 10 degrees Celsius,” he added.
However, once the weather stabilises, starting on Wednesday evening, the temperatures are expected to increase. Rainy conditions are expected on April 17 in the eastern and northern parts of the country, such as Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification technique aimed at enhancing precipitation—basically, it’s an attempt to make it rain or snow more than it would naturally. The process involves introducing substances into clouds that encourage the growth of ice or water droplets, leading to precipitation.
Bloomberg reported:
The UAE started cloud seeding operations in 2002 to address water security issues, even though the lack of drainage in many areas can trigger flooding.
The Gulf state’s National Center of Meteorology dispatched seeding planes from Al Ain airport on Monday and Tuesday to take advantage of convective cloud formations, according to Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist. That technique involves implanting chemicals and tiny particles — often natural salts such as potassium chloride — into the atmosphere to coax more rain from clouds.
With global warming threatening a surge in heat-related deaths in the UAE, Dubai’s media office dubbed the downpours “rains of goodness,” despite flooded houses and overflowing swimming pools.
The latest storms followed heavy rains earlier this year, according to Habib at NCM. The seeding planes have flown seven missions over the past two days, he added.
“For any cloud that’s suitable over the UAE you make the operation,” he said.
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