Dubai will invest 30 billion dirhams ($8.2 billion) to enhance its rainwater drainage system after experiencing the heaviest downpours in the UAE in 75 years last April. The heavy rainfall caused infrastructure damage and forced Dubai International Airport to curtail capacity, disrupting the Gulf’s hub for business and tourism.
Concerns have been raised regarding Dubai’s capacity to withstand catastrophic weather in the future after four people died as a result of the flooding.
Countries are looking for innovative solutions as climate change is expected to raise temperatures, humidity, and flood threats in the Gulf. The project, “Tasreef,” is scheduled to be finished by 2033. According to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, it will encompass every part of the emirate, guaranteeing preparedness for upcoming climate difficulties and satisfying needs for the next century.
The infrastructure will increase the rainfall drainage system’s capacity by 700%, allowing it to manage more than 20 million cubic metres of water every day, according to Dubai’s media office.
This project is expected to be among the biggest in the area for gathering rainwater. With 260 million passengers expected per year, Al Maktoum International Airport City, five times the size of Dubai International Airport, is undergoing drainage work that started in 2019.
