As three days of torrential rains hammer the typically dry region, officials in several Gulf countries issued weather warnings on Sunday.
With the exception of sporadic, brief occurrences of torrential rains between November and January, Gulf countries typically endure moderate winters.
Due to the rarity of such precipitation in the area, where such weather is extremely disruptive, authorities frequently forego installing robust drainage systems.
The United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have experienced torrential rain, and according to the official WAM news agency, the terrible weather is predicted to linger through Thursday.
The national centre of meteorology reported that cloud seeding, which officials use to augment typically modest and unusual rainfall, has made the downpour worse.
Vehicles and pedestrians were trapped in brown water in the UAE emirate of Sharjah. No casualties have been recorded by the authorities.
The enormous desert nation of Saudi Arabia has been experiencing heavy rain, which has affected pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca.
Saudi civil defence issued a warning that heavy to moderate rain was predicted to persist in a number of areas.
