Heavy rain, flash floods kill 19 in Oman and disrupt Dubai airport

Record levels of rainfall have brought cities in the United Arab Emirates and Oman to a standstill, with at least 19 people killed in Oman and flights being diverted from Dubai’s airport, according to news reports.

In the U.A.E., authorities urged all residents to stay at home, as videos showed cars submerged on gridlocked highways and planes leaving waves in their wake as they taxied down flooded runways in Dubai. In Muscat, Oman’s capital, flash flooding turned streets into raging rivers, media outlets said.

Experts said the extreme deluge was likely the result of a regular, rainy weather system being supercharged by climate change.

The storm first hit Oman on Sunday, causing widespread flash flooding and leading officials to close schools and government offices. On Wednesday, the heavy rains had eased, although the authorities warned residents to remain cautious.

The U.A.E. had its largest rainfall event in 75 years on Tuesday, the government said on social media. One area received 255 millimeters, about 10 inches, of rain in less than a day, the country’s National Center of Meteorology said.