Since the signing of the Abraham Accords, the Arab Emirates, and Dubai in particular, have become a focus for motoring entertainment for many Israelis: renting supercars, off-road trips, and more.
But after 142mm of rain fell in a few hours yesterday, as in a normal year and a half, its highways were flooded in what local officials said was the heaviest rainfall in 75 years.
At least one person was killed after a 70-year-old man was swept away in his car in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates in the country, said the police.
In the developed road network around Dubai, traffic jams were created for hours, and drivers were rescued from their drowned cars. In other places, some traffic continued, with luxury vehicles such as Rolls Royces and Bentleys stuck after their engines were flooded. Off-road vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol, which are popular in the Emirates, continued to drive.
But videos from Dubai show that even in places where water accumulated at a height of about a meter, you could see electric cars, such as the Tesla Model 3 and Porsche Tayken, continue to drive, thanks to their independence by injecting air into the engine as in vehicles with internal combustion engines.
However, even electric cars are not immune in such a situation: although their heavy weight helps prevent the tires from floating and detaching from the asphalt due to flooding, the water penetrates parts of the vehicle that do not normally get wet and can cause corrosion if the vehicle is not properly cleaned and dried so.
And there were also residents who took advantage of the situation to have fun near the flooded house with a jet ski, or to pull out boats that became the only available means of transportation.
Extreme rains are more common and stronger because of the climate crisis. The reason: Warmer air can hold more water vapor, allowing for more massive rainfall. Today in Dubai, tomorrow these could be photos from Ayalon routes and other roads in Israel.
At least one person was killed after a 70-year-old man was swept away in his car in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the country's seven emirates, police said.
Hours of traffic jams formed on the developed road network around Dubai, and drivers were rescued from their drowned cars. Elsewhere, part of the traffic continued to flow, when alongside luxury vehicles such as Rolls Royce and Bentley stuck after water entered their engines, off-road vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol, which are popular models in the Emirates, continued to drive.
But videos coming from Dubai show that even in places where water accumulated at a height of tens of centimeters, it was possible to see electric cars, such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Porsche Tayken, continue to drive, thanks to their lack of dependence on air flow to the engine like in vehicles with internal combustion engines.
However, streetcars are not immune in such a situation either: although their heavy weight helps prevent the tires from floating and detaching from the asphalt due to flooding, the water penetrates parts of the vehicle that do not normally get wet and can cause corrosion if the vehicle is not thoroughly cleaned and dried afterwards. The expensive batteries are sealed, but the damages can still be very expensive.
And there were also residents who took advantage of the situation to have fun near the flooded house with a jet ski, or to pull out boats that became the only available means of transportation.
Extreme rains are more common and stronger because of the climate crisis. The reason: Warmer air can hold more water vapor, allowing for more massive rainfall. Today in Dubai, tomorrow these could be photos from Ayalon routes and other roads in Israel.