Omanis urged not to panic as storm nears
Omanis are being urged not to panic as news spreads of another another tropical cyclone that may hit the sultanate, with meteorologists predicting the storm will reach its land by the weekend. The unnamed storm - known as tropical cyclone 05a - is currently making its way across the Arabian Sea with winds of up to 85 kilometres per hour (km/h).
The storm is expected to be much weaker than Cyclone Gonu, which at its peak was a maximum-force Category Five hurricane with wind speeds over 250 km/h, but with memories of Gonu still fresh in residents' minds the thought of another cyclone hitting Oman has many worried.
Authorities are telling residents not to panic, despite raising the storm warning to its highest level.
"From our experience of Gonu, we believe that people with internet access follow weather forecast but cannot read or interpret images properly therefore rumours spread and cause panic," said Lt Colonel Azhar Al Kindy, a member of the National Committee for Civil Defence, quoted UAE daily Gulf News on Thursday. Meteorologists have predicted only moderate rain, but have warned people to stay away from the sea and wadis due to the risk of flooding.
The storm is not expected to impact the sultanate's capital Muscat, but many cause flooding in the southern Dhofar region. “It is only a depression over the Arabian Sea and the forecast is of moderate and not heavy rain,” Al Kindy said.
“We advise people to stay away from sea and not risk crossing wadis where flooding could prove dangerous." The cyclone could also bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to Saudi Arabia and southern parts of the UAE on Friday, according to weather forecasts.
Oman is still reeling from the havoc wreaked by Gonu in June, which saw at least 50 people killed, leaving a trail of destruction that halted oil and gas exports for almost a weak. The hurricane - the strongest storm to hit Oman’s coast since 1977 - damaged main roads and bridges connecting the eastern provinces with the capital Muscat and caused floods and landslides across all regions.
ArabianBusiness