GULF countries renewed weather warnings today, as heavy rain battered the usually arid region for several days.

Gulf countries usually experience mild winters, with the exception of brief and rare episodes of flooding rain between November and January.

Such weather is highly disruptive in the region, where authorities often do not install heavy drainage systems due to the rarity of such precipitation.

Torrential rainfall has hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with official WAM news agency saying that the bad weather is expected to last until Thursday.

The rain has been exacerbated by cloud seeding, which authorities use to increase usually low and rare rainfall, said the national centre of meteorology.

In UAE emirate of Sharjah, pedestrians and vehicles are caught up in brown-coloured water. Authorities have not reported any casualty.

Heavy rain has been falling in the vast desert kingdom of Saudi Arabia, impacting pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca.

Saudi civil defence warned that moderate to heavy rain is expected to continue in several regions.

Oman had yesterday announced “stormy rain of varying intensity” in several regions of the country, and state broadcaster Oman TV showed images of wet roads and rising waters.

Qatar urged its residents to remain vigilant, and forecast “stormy rain” and strong winds in several parts of the country from today.

In Kuwait, “generally average intensity” rain is expected through the evening, said meteorological authorities, as reported by the official Kuna news agency.

It added that school classes and exams nationwide will be suspended tomorrow due to the weather. – AFP, January 2, 2022.