Flash floods in Qatar after nearly a year's rainfall in one day

Flash floods were experienced across Qatar on Saturday as the desert state received almost a year's worth of rainfall in one day.

The heavy downpour caused disruption to roads, air traffic and entered homes, as well as closing public amenities.

The country's capital, Doha, received almost a year's worth of rain, according to Doha-based broadcaster al-Jazeera's senior meteorologist, Steff Gaulter.

"Abu Hamor (a suburb) now reporting 59.8mm. (Doha average annual rainfall is 77mm.)," Gaulter tweeted on Saturday.

By early evening it was estimated that 61mm of rain had fallen.

National airliner Qatar Airways was forced to divert some flights, creating logistical headaches, as neighbours Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are among states that do not allow Doha to use their airspace, due to an ongoing diplomatic rift.

Some Qatar-bound flights were forced to divert to Kuwait and Iran and the airline warned its passengers to expect further problems.

"Due to weather conditions over Doha, flights are subject to delays for departure and arrivals," Qatar Airways said on Twitter.

Authorities warned drivers to avoid tunnels because of the flooding.

Social media in Qatar showed cars almost completely submerged under water, after thunderstorms over Doha.

Other footage showed rainwater running downstairs inside buildings as workers desperately tried to mop up.

Qatar's National Library, not yet a year old, was forced to close and said it would remain shut on Sunday to ensure the "safety of our users".

The US embassy also said it would be closed on Sunday, "due to weather conditions".

Some sought to downplay the disruption, joking online there was now no need for Saudi Arabia to dig a canal around Qatar  - an apparent threat made by Riyadh as part of the continuing political tensions - because the flooding had done the neighbouring power's job for it.

Reports about Riyadh's plans to build a canal around first emerged in April, with unnamed sources describing to local media Saudi was preparing to build a nuclear waste dump and military base along its 60-kilometre border with Qatar.

Months later, Riyadh announced that 25 June would be the last day for tenders to bid for the so-called "Salwa Canal" project, which would span the border.

The move has been widely criticised and viewed as a way of trying to further isolate Qatar for not towing the Saudi-UAE line on regional issues.