Does the rain in Bahrain signal a new norm for the Middle East? 

Imasha Costa grew up in the kingdom, where temperatures regularly reach 50C. This week, she watched on as the country, together with the United Arab Emirates and Oman, battled unprecedented rains and flooding

A man walks his bicycle on a flooded street in Dubai following heavy rains. Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos,  after the heaviest rains on record. Picture: Getty Images

Is this the future for the Middle East, for the countries in the Arabian Peninsula close to the equator? Heavy rain, intense flooding, and being trapped in your homes because of extreme rainfall that has likely been brought on by human-made climate change?

During the week, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman saw record rainfall that flooded motorways and homes, made roads impassable, and left cars trapped in the water.