This week the UAE was hit with another weather warning for severe weather coming up. This time, it was actually warranted - on Tuesday we got hit with the worst rainfall the country has ever recorded! And all in one day!
In less than 24 hours the top measurement for the rainfall here was over 250 mm!!! Abu Dhabi got ca 110 mm and Dubai around 155 mm. Do know, that the yearly rainfall in the UAE is normally less than 80 mm..!
Sure, you can joke about us living in a desert, but honestly, few countries in the world have an infrastructure that would have withstood this huge amount of rain. To compare, the average amount of rain per month in Sweden is 127mm - so the rain that fell here in ONE day is equivalent to two months of non-stop rain in Sweden!
The heavy rain, thunder and lightning caused absolute chaos and carnage as everything flooded. It honestly felt like Armageddon with the sky going first green, and then nearly black four times throughout the day, it was rather scary.
Some areas experienced power cuts, many homes and malls flooded. Trees and signs were ripped up by the wind, building facades got shattered, furniture was flying off balconies and flights were cancelled. The rain fell so heavily and quickly that many people got stuck in their cars on the road, and were forced to abandon them as the roads turned into floods and some vehicles got completely submerged.
Schools of course immediately switched to distance learning, and because of the damage caused it will not open until next week. After a three-week Spring Break not really what the kids needed. I'm extra sad for Linnea, as this was supposed to be her very last school week - ever. The Grade 12 Spirit Week went down the drain, literally.
But most importantly though, we are safe. Nathan was in the SIM in the afternoon, and Linnea and I hunkered down here at home. Since our apartment faces inwards towards the other buildings in the compound, we didn't suffer any damages, luckily.
What an experience! Not one I am eager to repeat any time soon..!
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