Dubai Floods Linked to Climate Change and Urbanization, Study Finds

The United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia experienced severe flooding on April 15 and 16, with Dubai being particularly affected. The city saw a massive thunderstorm tower over its skyscrapers, resulting in over 2,000 flight cancellations at Dubai Airport before operations returned to normal. At least 23 people lost their lives, including 10 children who were swept away by floodwaters while on a school bus. The combination of fossil fuels and concrete infrastructure exacerbated the "death trap" conditions, with experts suggesting that global warming caused by fossil fuel emissions likely contributed to the intense rainfall in the region. The World Weather Attribution group, an international team of scientists, concluded that climate change is the probable cause but cannot be pinpointed with certainty. It's worth noting that extreme rainfall events have become 10-40 percent heavier in the affected region during El Niño years due to global warming.