Dubai airport remains jammed after historic rainfall, flooding hit United Arab Emirates [Video]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates tried to wring itself out Thursday after the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation, with its main airport allowing more flights even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and communities.

Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, allowed global carriers on Thursday morning to again fly into Terminal 1 at the airfield. And long-haul carrier Emirates, crucial to East-West travel, began allowing local passengers to arrive at Terminal 3, their base of operations.

However, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said in an interview with The Associated Press that the airfield needed at least another 24 hours to resume operations close to its usual schedule.

Meanwhile, one desert community in Dubai saw floodwaters continue to rise Thursday to as much as 3 feet as civil defense officials struggled to pump out the water.

“We were looking at the radar thinking, ‘Goodness, if this hits, …