World's tallest building hit by lightning as Dubai suffers flooding after heavy storms

Dubai has been hit by overnight flooding after "intense downpours" hit several cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), prompting officials to issue warnings.

Dramatic pictures were posted online by the Dubai Media Office and others of lightning striking the 829m/2,722ft Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

Authorities in the UAE activated emergency measures and issued safety alerts across the country, Gulf News said.

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"Heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds" swept across large parts of the UAE from Thursday into early Friday.

An unstable weather system caused "lightning, booming thunder and intense downpours in several cities", as well as "dust-raising winds and reduced visibility", the outlet said.

Dubai's police force said on X its efforts had intensified, with specialised teams helping make roads safe so as to "keep traffic moving smoothly".

Police, pumping crews and recovery vehicles were out before dawn to try to clear the water and deal with the aftermath of the unusual conditions, AOL said.

Other videos showed people walking through standing water in Sharjah, where passengers planning to use the airport were advised check the latest information, as weather conditions may affect flights.

Travellers should contact their airlines directly before heading to the airport.

On Thursday, the office issued a warning of "unstable conditions" until Friday morning, predicting rain of "varying intensity, at times accompanied by lightning and thunder", plus "occasionally strong" winds and reduced visibilty from dust and sand it raised.

Since the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Dubai has come under frequent attacks from Iranian missiles and drones, with strikes on the airport and other targets.

Authorities did not give details of what, if any, damage the weather had caused, or of any deaths or injuries.

(c) Sky News 2026: World's tallest building hit by lightning as Dubai suffers flooding after heavy storms