NASA has published “before and after” photos of the United Arab Emirates’ record rainfall, which caused dangerous floods and paralyzed most of the country last week, specifically for the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Images taken on Friday by NASA’s Earth Observatory using Landsat data from the US Geological Survey show large patches of water dotted across the UAE’s desert and urban landscape, almost appearing to form small lakes where no water had previously existed.
The first image from NASA shows a portion of Dubai and its surroundings captured on April 3 by Landsat 9, an earth observation satellite operated in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA. The second image was taken on April 19, when Landsat 9 passed over the region for the first time since record rainstorms hit the country.
“Some areas were still under water on April 19, when Landsat 9 passed over the region for the first time since the storms,” NASA wrote on the Earth Observatory website.
Flash floods that occurred in some parts of the country on April 16 caused cars to be submerged under water, and hundreds of drivers left their vehicles on the roads to escape the rising water level.
Nearly a year’s worth of precipitation had fallen in less than a day in the normally arid desert country of the Gulf. The UAE had reached the highest amount of rainfall in history with a single storm since records began in 1949.
Lack of infrastructure increased the severity of floods
Flooding closed schools and businesses, grounded hundreds of flights and destroyed cars, businesses and other structures. Daily life was thrown into chaos as many residents lost power and running water or were stranded inside their homes, in airports or wherever they were when the storm hit.
The lack of drainage infrastructure and the paving of the country’s urban areas have meant that much of the water has no place to flow, exacerbating flooding in many areas.
Cleanup efforts continue in the country, and there are still many problems in some areas where infrastructure is seriously damaged. Many residents say they still do not have running water or electricity.
UAE announces $544.60 million fund to repair damages caused by floods
Tags: NASA shared satellite images Dubai Abu Dhabi flood UAE
