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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\u2019s airport.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s capital, flash flooding turned streets into raging rivers.<\/p>\n
Experts said the extreme deluge was likely the result of a regular, rainy weather system being supercharged by climate change.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> residents to remain cautious.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Several areas of Oman received over 230 millimeters, or about 9 inches, of rain between Sunday and Wednesday, according to<\/a> the country\u2019s National Committee for Emergency Management. The average annual rainfall in Muscat, the nation\u2019s capital, is about 100 millimeters, although other parts of the country can receive more rain.<\/p>\n By Wednesday morning, 19 deaths had been confirmed<\/a> by the emergency management committee, including an infant. Ten of the dead were schoolchildren who were swept away in a vehicle with an adult, according to The Associated Press. Some schools remained closed in Oman on Wednesday, and some government employees were told to work from home. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The U.A.E. had its largest rainfall event in 75 years on Tuesday, the government said<\/a> on social media. One area received 255 millimeters, about 10 inches, of rain in less than a day, the country\u2019s National Center of Meteorology said. <\/p>\n On Wednesday, officials at Dubai International Airport, one of the world\u2019s busiest, urged travelers<\/a> not to go to the airport, with flights continuing to be delayed and diverted. Operations were briefly suspended because of the storm. Emirates, the national airline, said it was suspending check-in services for passengers departing from the airport until midnight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n