Dubai airport operations ramp back up as flooding from UAE's heaviest rains ever recorded lingers on roads

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates struggled Thursday to recover from the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation, as its main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads.

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. Later Thursday, the facility said in a message posted on social media that its Terminal 3 was also reopening for flight check-in, but it warned passengers to come only if their pending departure was confirmed due to "a high volume of guests in the check-in area."

"Flights continue to be delayed and disrupted, so we urge you to only come to Terminal 1 if you have a confirmed booking," the airport said in its series of tweets.