Sharjah streets submerged as heavy rains sweep across UAE

Vehicles and pedestrians make their way through flooded streets in the Emirati city of Sharjah as heavy rainfall sweeps across the desert country. 

Dubai police on Thursday urged residents to stay indoors unless it was "absolutely necessary" as heavy rainfall was expected in the country which saw record downpours last year. The warning came hours after rainfall in the Emirati city caused flooding in streets.

The National Center of Meteorology in the United Arab Emirates warned of rainfall across the country from Thursday to Friday, including in Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi. Other Gulf states also experienced heavy rain on Thursday, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar where the downpour caused an Arab Cup match to be cancelled.