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Parts of the UAE were inundated by stormy weather on Saturday morning, when torrential rain in some cases forced flight cancellations.
Airline Flydubai told The National that it had cancelled some inbound flights, while diversions and delays were in place for others.
Police in Dubai called on motorists to exercise caution when driving in the wet, while all marine transport was suspended by the city's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
“The adverse weather conditions in Dubai this morning have resulted in few cancellations and delays to some of our flights,” Flydubai said.
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A double rainbow appears after heavy rainfall in Dubai. Sarah Forster / The National -
People use a canvas sheet to shield themselves from the rain on Hamdan Street, in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
The waterlogged yard of Mary Mother of Jesus Mosque, in the capital. Nick March / The National -
Flooding in Al Qattara area of Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National -
Flooding in Al Qattara, Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National -
Riding an electric scooter amid the downpours in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Braving the winds and rain. Victor Besa / The National -
The wet weather caught many pedestrians unprepared. Victor Besa / The National -
It was business as usual for some people, nevertheless. Victor Besa / The National -
Time to bring out the umbrellas. Victor Besa / The National -
A woman struggles against the force of the wind as it whips her umbrella sideways in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Traffic ploughs through the heavy rain and flood water on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
People have been reaching for their umbrellas as heavy rain falls on Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Flooding slows traffic in Al Quoz, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
A dark and grey pall hangs over Dubai as torrential rain falls. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Sanitation workers clear drains that have been choked by heavy rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Motorists in Dubai battle the elements. Authorities advise that only necessary journeys be made. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Adverse weather causes long tailbacks of traffic, testing the patience of motorists. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Heavy rain fell across Dubai throughout Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Motorists had to endure treacherous conditions on Dubai's roads on Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Heavy rain has made driving difficult in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Police in Dubai are keeping motorists up to date with road conditions. Antonie Robertson/The National -
Sharjah has not been spared the heavy rain. Photo: Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
Parks in Sharjah were closed due to severe weather, authorities said. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
The downpour as seen from a tunnel in Dubai. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
A motorist braves a waterlogged lane. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
Parked motorcycles knocked down by powerful gusts in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
Sheltering from the rain in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
Wet conditions have been forecast throughout the weekend across the emirates. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
“A number of inbound flights also had to be diverted. We are continuing to monitor the weather conditions in Dubai.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our No 1 priority, and we are doing all we can to minimise the disruption to our passengers’ travel schedules and are co-ordinating with all parties at the airport.”
Motorists were advised to make sure they took no chances on Dubai's roads, with police issuing a statement on social media to that effect.
“Various areas in Dubai are experiencing moderate to heavy rain,” Dubai Police said on X on Saturday.
“It is of utmost importance for drivers and road users to be extremely cautious while on the roads.”
The RTA announced on social media that all marine transport would be suspended until further notice.
Several flights from other airlines bound for Dubai on Saturday morning were diverted to other airports as bad weather in the emirate continued.
The flights were rerouted to destinations including Zayed International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, Muscat International Airport in Oman, and Hamad International Airport in Qatar.
Communities across Dubai were also hit by the rain, prompting a flood of coverage on social media channels.
Residents were advised to only leave their homes if necessary given hazardous conditions on the roads.
RTA teams were out across the emirate on Saturday morning to help ease the traffic build-up created by the wet weather conditions.
Elsewhere, most of the country remained under a yellow alert issued by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which was expected to last until at least 4pm on Sunday, March 10.
The NCM also issued an alert for those in eastern parts of the country.
“Precautions should be taken in case of heavy rain over some eastern areas and [people are] advised to stay away from areas of flash floods and accumulated rain,” said the NCM on X.
Thunder and lightning was reported in Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon, the NCM said.
