A thunderstorm is forecast to sweep over Dubai,and it could wreak havoc like the 2024 flash floods (pictured) (Picture: AP)
Dubai is bracing for biblical rainfall similar to storms that brought the city to its knees last year.
There are fears that many foreigners,including tens of thousands of British people,won’t be able to get home for Christmas as a result of heavy downpours.
Flash floods swamped Dubai Airport in April 2024. If the same happens again,an untold number of flights could be delayed or cancelled.
December temperatures in Dubai usually range from 20°C to 28°C. But as a storm sweeps across Gaza and the western side of the Arabian peninsula,the Emirates’ sunny outlook could turn.
Jim said the storm has caused ‘distressing’ damage in Gaza,which has a different climate due to its Mediterranean location.
Winter storms have devastated tents and homes in the besieged enclave,deepening the humanitarian crisis for displaced Palestinians amid aid restrictions imposed by Israel.
Mazen al‑Najjar,the mayor of the city of Jabalia,warned that ‘the weather depression came as displaced people were already living in catastrophic conditions.’
Roads,buildings and underground tunnels were flooded during the severe 2024 flooding (Picture: AP)
At least 14 people died in a winter storm in Gaza last week,while over 53,000 tents housing refugees were flooded.
A baby reportedly died from cold,and another person was killed when a building collapsed.
Extreme weather – like flooding in a desert and longer and hotter heatwaves gripping Europe – is also more and more common due to climate change.
Dubai is also likely to experience more intense spells of extreme weather,including sandstorms and extreme summer temperatures regularly reaching 50°C,Jim warned.
Since the start of the millennium,United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region has seen an over 18% rise in rainfall,according to official figures from the Gulf cooperation organisation.
Experts predict average temperatures could increase by around 1.7°Cwithin just a few years.
If my flight is cancelled,can I get a refund?
If your flight is covered by UK law,you can choose between either getting your cancelled flight refunded or being booked on an alternative route.
Any part of your ticket you haven’t used is eligible for a refund. So,if you were on a return flight to Heathrow,for example,and the outbound leg was cancelled,you can get that part of the journey refunded.
You’ll typically get your money back within a week.
But not everyone is up for being stuck mid-layover. If you still want to travel,your airline must find a way to get you to your destination.
This can include,say,if another airliner is flying to where you need to go soon or if there’s another form of transport you can take. All at no extra cost.
Can I get any extra compensation?
What the law calls ‘extraordinary circumstances’ can include a fire,bird strikes,defects with a plane,or bad weather.
But none of these entitles impacted passengers to extra compensation,consumer watchdog Which? says. They’re largely considered outside the airline’s control.
In other circumstances,however,it’s a different story. You have several rights under the law if your journey is impacted by staff shortages,airline staff walkouts or if your flight was delayed because bad weather delayed a previous flight.
What you’re entitled to depends on the cause of the cancellation and how much notice the airline gave you.
This can range from £220 for short-haul flights,£350 for mid-haul and £520 for long-haul.
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