Crypto conferences such as Blockchain Life and Token2049 experienced an unexpected turn of events on April 17th. Social media was flooded with videos showing disruptions across the city and within the conferences themselves. Attendees’ plans to reach the conferences were humorously acknowledged by social media managers. Despite the extent of the disruptions still being unknown, Token2049 assured the media that the storm had not impacted entry and exit to Dubai, stating that the conference would proceed as scheduled.
In response to the extreme weather conditions, Fly Dubai halted all flights from the UAE hub until 10 a.m. local time on April 17th. The government issued a red warning on April 16th, resulting in the closure of offices, schools, and banks nationwide. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Authority advised residents to stay indoors and park vehicles in elevated locations away from flood-prone areas.