Unprecedented, torrential rains submerged parts of the United Arab Emirates last week.
This is the biggest flood recorded in the country. In fact, the phenomenon had such an extent that the satellites were able to see the results of the flood days later.
Extreme rainfall in the United Arab Emirates began on Tuesday, April 16 and lasted until Wednesday, April 17. Dubai – the country’s most populous city – recorded a year’s worth of rain in just over a year 12 hours, while areas further east recorded almost 2 years worth of rain in less than 24 hours.
The Landsat 9 satellite passed over the United Arab Emirates on Friday, April 19, and captured images of large lakes formed by floodwaters.
The satellite collects detailed images of the Earth’s surface and is used by the NASA and the United States Geological Survey.
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The deep blue lakes in the images above highlight the flood waters that stand in stark contrast to the region’s usually dry soil, which appears blackened or light brown. The flooding shown is in the southernmost part of Dubai, but the highly urbanized central hub of the city is not captured.
The colors shown are not exactly as they would appear if someone were looking from space, but they make the differences in terrain more easily noticeable.
The satellite also recorded significant flooding in Abu Dhabi. Small, shallow bodies of water are shown in light blue. The largest and deepest floodwater lakes are dark blue.
