NASA has released photos of parts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi before and after the United Arab Emirates was hit with record rainfall last week, causing dangerous flooding and paralyzing large parts of the country.
Images taken Friday by the NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey show large patches of water across the UAE’s previously empty desert and urban landscape, resembling small lakes. It looks as if it has appeared.
“Some areas remained flooded on April 19, when Landsat 9 passed over the area for the first time since the storm,” NASA said on the Earth Observatory’s website.
Flash floods on April 16 left cars engulfed in water, some areas completely submerged, and hundreds of motorists abandoning their vehicles on roads to escape rising waters.
In less than a day, the normally arid Gulf desert country has dumped almost a year’s worth of rain on it, more than it has seen in a single storm since record-keeping began in the UAE in 1949. .
A satellite photo of part of Dubai taken on April 3 by the Earth observation satellite Landsat 9, operated in partnership between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
NASA Earth Observatory
Parts of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, photographed on April 19 as Landsat 9 passed over the area for the first time since record-breaking storms hit the country on April 15 and 16. Satellite photo of the department. Images captured by his OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager 2) satellite show flooding in many areas of the emirate. This image uses false color (band 6-5-3) to emphasize the presence of water, making it appear blue.
NASA Earth Observatory
The first image from NASA shows parts of Dubai and its surrounding area on April 3 taken by Landsat 9, an Earth observation satellite operated by a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA. The second photo was taken on April 19, when Landsat 9 flew over the area for the first time since the record-breaking storm hit.
The second image, captured by the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager 2) satellite, “shows flooding in many areas of the emirate. The image is designed to highlight the presence of water. is displayed in false color (band 6-5-3), blue,” NASA wrote.
Deluges closed schools and businesses, grounded hundreds of flights, and destroyed cars, businesses, and other property. Daily life was disrupted as many residents lost power and water, or were trapped in their homes, airports, or wherever they happened to be when the storm struck.
The UAE’s National Meteorological Center said up to 250 millimeters (101 inches) of rain fell in the eastern part of the country in 24 hours. In contrast, the UAE typically sees between 5.5 and 8 inches of annual rainfall throughout the year.
A lack of drainage infrastructure and the paving of the country’s urban spaces meant much of the water had nowhere to go, exacerbating flooding in many areas.
The country’s cleanup efforts are still ongoing, but many problems remain in some areas where infrastructure has been severely damaged and many residents still lack running water and electricity.
Landsat 9 images show the United Arab Emirates’ capital Abu Dhabi and surrounding areas before and after the storm on April 3 (left) and April 19 (right). On April 19, Sheikh Zayed Road, a major thoroughfare that runs through Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is seen covered in water. Some flooded areas can also be seen in Khalifa City and Zayed City, residential areas southeast of downtown Abu Dhabi.
NASA Earth Observatory
A high-rise apartment building near the border between Dubai and the emirate of Sharjah was completely evacuated on Friday after structural damage from the storm caused it to crack and lean, threatening to collapse.
The UAE’s central bank has directed local banks and insurance companies to allow loan repayment deferrals. for six months to support residents and businesses affected by floods.
