Lightning Strikes World's Tallest 163-Story Building... Torrential Rain Hits Desert City [Video]

50mm Water Bomb, Half of Annual Rainfall
City Completely Flooded and Flights Canceled

A 'water bomb' poured down on the desert city of Dubai. Lightning struck the top of the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and the roads were flooded.

Lightning Striking the Top of Burj Khalifa
[Image Source=Telegram]

Local media outlet 'Gulf News' reported on the 10th (local time) that major cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) such as Dubai, Al Ain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah suffered flood damage.

Lightning Striking the Top of Burj Khalifa
[Image Source=Telegram]

Recently, the region was hit by rainstorms accompanied by thunder, lightning, and gusty winds. The desert city of Dubai was helpless against the sudden rain. Roads were submerged and paralyzed, airport runway usage was suspended, and numerous flights were canceled.

The UAE National Center of Meteorology stated that heavy rain was observed on major roads including Dubai Investment Park, Jebel Ali, Greens, Al Furjan, Dubai Sports City, and International City. Some areas even experienced hail.

Roads in Dubai completely flooded by heavy rain and wind of 50mm. The desert city of Dubai lacks adequate facilities to manage rainwater. [Image source=TikTok]

The rainfall reached 50mm in just six hours, while the UAE's average annual precipitation is around 100mm. In half a day, nearly half of the yearly rainfall fell.

Rainwater pouring into a private house [Image source=TikTok]

Some suggest that this heavy rain event could be a 'man-made disaster.' Gulf News reported that the UAE has been implementing artificial rainfall methods since the late 1990s. Artificial rainfall involves spraying chemicals into the atmosphere to increase rain clouds.

However, recent climate change combined with artificial rainfall has significantly increased the amount of rainwater. This has ultimately led to a situation where hail and rainstorms suddenly poured down in the middle of the desert.

As a result, concerns are rising that the 'sinking of Dubai' is no longer a far-fetched scenario. Last December, when the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) was held in Dubai, there were predictions that if sea level rise caused by global warming is not curbed, Burj Khalifa could be submerged.