Heavy rainfall and unusual flooding have wreaked havoc in the Gulf region. On Thursday, pictures from local TV stations showed masses of water on the streets of the region, which is otherwise plagued by drought and heat in summer.
In Qatar, the host country of this year's soccer World Cup, the authorities warned of thunderstorms and gusts of wind until the weekend. Videos from the newspaper "Al Sharq" showed how the coastal promenade was flooded.
In the United Arab Emirates, too, the authorities instructed residents to work from home for the next few days if possible, the state news agency WAM reported. In the Gulf state of Oman, the Royal Police used helicopters to evacuate flood-affected valleys and say they saved more than 100 people.
In Iran, meanwhile, at least four people died in floods northwest of the capital Tehran. Nine others have been injured so far, according to the Red Crescent rescue workers, according to the Irna news agency. Last week, more than 20 people died in storms in southern Iran.
