The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has experienced its worst rainfall in 75 years according to its government, who called it an "exceptional" weather event.

In the desert city of Dubai, 142mm of rain was recorded in the 24 hours from Monday evening, an amount typically recorded in the emirate in an 18-month period.

Local media reported that the rains continue across the UAE, with conditions expected to ease in the afternoon of Apr. 17.

At least one dead

Police have confirmed at least one person, a 70-year-old man in the city of Ras Al-Khaimah, has been killed in floodwaters, according to The Guardian.

The heavy rain, which began on Apr. 15, has led to flash flooding.

In videos circulating on social media, purportedly of the conditions in Dubai, cars can be seen submerged in floodwaters and abandoned on roadways, and shopping malls flooded.

Dubai....🌊👀 pic.twitter.com/bvlXpI5zAe

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) April 16, 2024

Government officials and school students have been working remotely since Apr. 16, to ensure safety.

Situation of Dubai Metro station after rain. Dubai did not consider heavy rain in construction.#dubairain #DubaiStorm pic.twitter.com/1jZbJDLVjw

— Bashir (@BashirAhmaddd) April 17, 2024

Typically a hot and arid climate, the country as a whole averages between 140 and 200 mm of rainfall annually.

The UAE's WAM reported the current rainfall "surpass[es] anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949".

Flights grounded in Dubai

Dubai International Airport (DBX), the second busiest airport in the world, suspended operations for 25 minutes on Apr. 16.

We are currently experiencing significant disruption due to the weather and are continuously working with our emergency response teams and service partners to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

— DXB (@DXB) April 17, 2024

Footage from the airport online shows flooded runways and stranded passengers, with jumbo-jets resembling boats.

@crew_pilot Very heavy raining 🌧 ❤️❤️#foryou #fypシ #emiratesairlines #emiratesa380 #viral #crew #raining #dubai🇦🇪 #foryoupage #emiratescabincrew ♬ original sound - Crew

At least 17 flights have been cancelled since the heavy rainfall began and several others were re-routed.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Emirates wrote that check-in is suspended between 8am and midnight (local time) for all flights departing from DBX and passengers are advised to avoid the airport, citing operational difficulties.

"Your safety is our top priority."

Passengers already in-transit who are arriving in Dubai will still be processed but should expect delays.

Floods in Oman kill 18

In the neighbouring country of Oman, 18 people have been confirmed dead by the National Committee for Emergency Management as a result of flash flooding, including an infant.

طيران الشرطة يُنفذ ١٣ طلعة جوية خلال ٢٤ ساعة الماضية لأكثر من ٧٥ شخصًا تمثلت في إخلاء وإنقاذ أشخاص ونقل مصابين وإسعاف مرضى وبحث عن مفقودين.#شرطة_عمان_السلطانية pic.twitter.com/vwSSjqCgKJ

— شرطة عُمان السلطانية (@RoyalOmanPolice) April 16, 2024

At least two more remain missing.

According to the BBC, among those killed was a group of 10 school children, aged between 10 and 15-years-old, whose vehicle was swept away by floodwater.

Cloud seeding

According to Bloomberg, the current floods "stemmed partly" from cloud seeding operations.

In 2002, the UAE began cloud-seeding, the process of firing salt flares into clouds, to induce artificial rainfall and increase water security.

The head of rain enhancement operations in the UAE's National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), Abullah al-Hammadi, told Reuters that cloud seeding increases annual rainfall by 10 to 30 per cent.

The NCM said that cloud seeding had taken place on Sunday and Monday, but not Tuesday.

Top image from @xajjubukhari/TikTok and @Top_Disaster/X