this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2024
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Chaos ensued in the United Arab Emirates after the country witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, with some areas recording more than 250 mm of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours, the state’s media office said in a statement Wednesday.

The rainfall, which flooded streets, uprooted palm trees and shattered building facades, has never been seen in the Middle Eastern nation since records began in 1949. In the popular tourist destination Dubai, flights were canceled, traffic came to a halt and schools closed.

One-hundred millimeters (nearly 4 inches) of rain fell over the course of just 12 hours on Tuesday, according to weather observations at the airport – around what Dubai usually records in an entire year, according to United Nations data.

The rain fell so heavily and so quickly that some motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the floodwater rose and roads turned into rivers.

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[–] FlyingSquid 50 points 7 months ago (4 children)

The only good thing about climate change is that nations like the UAE that essentially only exist because of their oil are reaping some of what they have sown.

[–] 13esq 27 points 7 months ago (4 children)

If you were otherwise dirt poor and you had the opportunity to become rich beyond your dreams selling something that to you is essentially free you wouldn't do it?

It's really easy to be moral from your armchair at home.

I'm not saying that makes it OK, but it's a real moral dilemma and we live in the real world. The UAE not selling oil wouldn't lower the demand for it, they'd still have been flooded, just with no oil money to help fix anything afterwards.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago (2 children)

If they didn't sell oil, there wouldn't be a giant, pseudo-city in the desert. Those people would probably build elsewhere, if at all.

[–] 13esq 3 points 7 months ago

Exactly my point.

[–] bitwaba 1 points 7 months ago

Well if climate change keeps up, it sounds like they'll be a pseudo-city on the rain forest instead.

[–] macrocephalic 7 points 7 months ago

Agreed. I dislike these countries because of who they are, not how they got rich.

[–] FlyingSquid 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

What makes you think the Sheikhs were dirt poor before the British started pumping oil?

[–] 13esq 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

I'm obviously talking about the wealth of the whole country, not just it's richest citizens.

In 2009, the UAEs GDP was 85% based on oil, it doesn't take a triple digit IQ to do the maths here.

[–] force 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Dubai's poverty rate is 20% and a notable fraction of the population (1.5%) is slaves from central/south Asia who got their passports taken away from them, and median salary is USD$4300 (a single person's monthly expenses are estimated to average USD$1000 excluding rent). I can't call them a wealthy country when their citizens are far from it.

[–] 13esq 3 points 7 months ago

20% of the UK live in poverty.

11% of US citizens live in poverty

You can call them not rich if you want but that doesn't change the facts that they'd be so much poorer without oil money

[–] Squizzy 3 points 7 months ago

Not like there is unsavoury alliances ad tendencies associated with this story. It is not just them making money.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Don't forget 'offering a tax haven to drug- and other money'

[–] Rapidcreek 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That's like someone with drug addiction blaming his pusher.

[–] FlyingSquid 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

No, it's more like someone with a drug addiction blaming Purdue Pharma.

[–] Rapidcreek -5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

To the addic it's always someone else's fault.

[–] FlyingSquid 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

So you're saying that Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers are being wrongly accused of getting millions of people addicted to opioids who wouldn't have been without Purdue Pharma specifically pushing it onto them through doctors? '

[–] Rapidcreek -3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

No I didn't say that and you know I didnt, but argue you must.

[–] FlyingSquid -1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Sure looks like you suggested as much to me:

If not, then why did you say "to the addict, it's always someone else's fault" after I brought up blaming Purdue Pharma for addiction? And if you wish to remain here, I would advise you not making personal attacks like claiming I have some need to argue with you (especially when you responded to me). I do not moderate discussions I am personally involved in, but I cannot speak for other moderators who see such things.

[–] Rapidcreek -3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Forget it, I'm not interested in another person in my life that lives to argue...

[–] FlyingSquid 1 points 7 months ago

Again, you responded to me unprompted.

Don't start arguing with someone and then claim they're the one that lives to argue. Look in a mirror.