UAE again faces heavy rain, erratic weather; several international flights cancelled

Dubai: Two weeks after Dubai was battered by epic storms that crippled the emirate for days, heavy rains and thunderstorms pounded the UAE on Thursday, forcing the cancellation of many international flights.

"Customers arriving or departing from Dubai airport on May 2 can expect some delays as flights are rescheduled," Emirates said in a statement.

Flights between Dubai and Istanbul, Dubai and Johannesburg, Dubai and Nairobi, Dubai and Cairo, Dubai and Amman, and Dubai and Singapore stand cancelled till May 3. The airlines have also waived rebooking charges to help stranded passengers.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) of the nation increased the system's readiness and preparedness levels on Wednesday in order to handle the crisis.

The public has been advised to take measures even though it is anticipated that these rains will not be as bad as the extraordinary deluge that slammed the nation last month.

The Arabian Peninsula was pounded by intense rains on April 14–15, with Dubai receiving the most rain since 1949.

Besides moderate to heavy rain in scattered areas, accompanied by occasional lightning and thunder, a possibility of small hail, concentrated in the western regions, on the coasts, and in some eastern areas have also been warned.

Due to severe weather in the UAE, Dubai-based Emirates airline said on Thursday that numerous flights will be cancelled.

"Heavy thunderstorms are forecast in Dubai on May 2. If you're travelling to Dubai International Airport, you may experience road delays. We recommend adding extra travel time to reach the airport and using Dubai Metro where possible," the Emirates airline's spokesperson was quoted by the local media as saying on Wednesday.