Dubai Floods: Kent woman stranded paying for own accomodation

Bethany Moon and her cousin Isabel Coleman have been stranded in the flood-hit Gulf state

Daniel Sexton

BBC News, South East

Piers Hopkirk

BBC News, South East

A woman from Kent has been forced to pay for extra hotel accommodation in Dubai after her flight home was cancelled due to extreme flooding.

Bethany Moon's one week holiday with her cousin to the Gulf state coincided with heavy rains across the region, which caused flash floods and disruption to flights at Dubai International Airport.

The world's second-busiest airport warned of "very challenging conditions" and advised passengers not to turn up due to areas being inundated by water.

Ms Moon, 21, from Hythe, said when she arrived at the airport on 17 April for her return flight she could not even enter the terminal as it was so overcrowded.

Image source, Bethany Moon

Ms Moon said the flooding was "like the River Thames had taken over Dubai"

She has now booked a flight home on Sunday via Saudi Arabia as direct services to London are "impossible to get booked on".

The welfare manager's second trip to Dubai was for the Eid celebrations.

She described the weather conditions as "absolutely crazy", adding that it was like "the River Thames had taken over Dubai".

"There were some cars floating in the water and some had overturned," she told BBC South East. "Locals were using paddleboards to get around."

Image source, Bethany Moon

"There were some cars floating in the water and some had overturned," Ms Moon said

Ms Moon, who spent a night at the airport, described the experience as "11/10 for worrying".

She said: "Some people were passed out on the airport floor. I've been lucky, with my own savings and family support, that I have been able to get some accommodation.

"Driving to the airport, I felt so bad for all the little villages. It was heart-breaking to see - people's homes had been destroyed."

Ms Moon added she won't be returning to Dubai and will never be so excited to see Hythe when she returns home.

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