Flash floods in Dubai. Two women got stuck in a flooded car and were poisoned by carbon monoxide

A violent storm hit the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. Desert cities were submerged, with rain inundating homes, public buildings and roads. The operation of Dubai International Airport was also disrupted, with passengers also facing difficulties on Friday.

Read more: “Alien invasion”, “Apocalypse”. The scene in Dubai after the worst storm in decades

Sharjah Police on Friday confirmed the death of two Filipino nationals, local news portal Gulf News reported. When it started to rain, the two women were in a car with two men on the road linking Dubai and Sharjah. The car got stuck in deep puddles, forcing the men to abandon the car and call for help. Meanwhile, the women remained in the car with the air conditioner running and the windows closed.

When the men returned to the flooded car, they saw that the passengers had lost consciousness. They immediately called emergency services, but had difficulty reaching the site. The women were taken to hospital, where doctors declared them dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Sharjah Police Commander Saif Mohammed Al Zari Al Shamsi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and appealed to residents to follow safety rules. He stressed that in weather-related emergencies, people should seek shelter and avoid unnecessary travel.

Local media reported that the heavy rain that fell on Tuesday was the heaviest rain recorded in the United Arab Emirates in 75 years. During the day, rainfall locally was twice as high as the year-round average. The effects of the flood were compounded because the desert soil absorbed water very poorly, and the city's concrete roofs facilitated the flow of rainwater. Flood cleanup and damage assessment operations were continuing on Friday.