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AT LEAST one person has died amid torrential rain and flooding that drowned an airport, malls, and train stations and left Dubai paralysed. The desert nation of the United Arab Emirates is reeling today after the heaviest rain ever recorded wiped out its millionaire playground.

Heavy thunderstorms lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, dumping the heaviest rain ever recorded in the country in the span of hours as it flooded out portions of major highways and Dubai's international airport. The state-run WAM news agency called the rain “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.” That's before the discovery of crude oil in this energy-rich nation then part of a British protectorate known as the Trucial States. The rains began late Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 20 millimeters (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified around 9 a.m. local Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city. By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. An average year sees 94.7 millimeters (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates

Dubai Skyline Obscured by Torrential Rain Authorities in the United Arab Emirates issued a stay-at-home advisory on Tuesday, April 16, as severe storms hit Dubai and other parts of the country. The National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) stressed “the necessity of staying at home and following safety instructions during the weather conditions” in a post on X on Tuesday. According to news reports, government employees were told to work from home on Tuesday and Wednesday and school lessons were moved online. Footage filmed by Toby Cunningham shows torrential rain, strong wind, and lightning in Dubai on Tuesday night. Credit: Toby Cunningham via Storyful