Friday 26 / July / 2024
Muscat: Heavy rains lashed Muscat governorate bringing traffic to a standstill as reports of waterlogging and flooding led to numerous calls for assistance from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA).
According to latest reports, the CDAA confirmed that there were 30 calls for help and more than 63 people were rescued.
However, there were no fatalities. The rains on Tuesday were caused by a low-pressure trough over the Arabian Sea, which is likely to affect the country’s weather until Thursday.
According to an official of the Directorate General of Meteorology, rains are expected to continue till Wednesday evening.
Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khadouri from the Directorate General of Oman Meteorology at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said: “Most of the wilayats and governorates in the Sultanate of Oman witnessed rains with Muscat Governorate receiving more than the expected rainfall.”
Al Khaduri added: “Weather conditions will begin to improve from Wednesday evening. With northwesterly winds blowing, temperatures are expected to dip in all the wilayats and governorates of the Sultanate that have witnessed rains.”
First Lieutenant Ali bin Saeed Al Farsi from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA), said: “We received more than 30 calls for help in Muscat governorate and we rescued 63 people. There were also 12 reports of accidents with moderate and minor injuries to the passengers. A few of them were caught in the vehicle while crossing wadis and low-lying areas.”
Al Farsi added: "We call on everyone not to swim in water pools and urge people not to venture out unless it is necessary.”
Muscat Municipality also issued an advisory and said, "Muscat Governorate is witnessing rains and thunderstorms of varying intensity. We ask everyone to exercise caution and stay away from low-lying areas.”
The Royal Oman Police (ROP) also warned residents not to go out unless necessary due to the unstable weather conditions. Police has warned motorists to exercise caution as they drive on waterlogged roads.
It has advised residents to take precautions in case of rain and asked people to stay away from the areas of flash floods and accumulated rainwater.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Tuesday suspended classes at public and private schools in Muscat governorate due to thunderstorms. ‘Classes and examinations will resume on Wednesday,’ MoE stated.
Also, the Royal Oman Police on Tuesday closed the Amerat-Bausher mountain road due to the damages caused to it by heavy rains. “The road has been closed until further notice and road users are advised to use alternative roads,” ROP stated.
On Tuesday, the Civil Aviation Authority issued Alert No (1), in which the latest weather maps and analysis of the National Center for Early Warning of Multiple Hazards, (NCEWMH), said the Sultanate’s airspace will continue to be affected by an air groove during the day, that is, Tuesday, December 27, 2022, and it will continue until Thursday morning.
The report continued: “On Wednesday and Thursday morning, December 28-29, 2022, the impact of the air groove will continue to affect the northern governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, with chances of sporadic rains of varying intensity, sometimes thundery, leading to the flow in reefs and valleys in the governorates of Musandam, North Al Batinah, South Al Batinah, Al Buraimi, Al Dakhiliyah, Muscat and Al Dhahirah and South and North Al Sharqiyah, and the weather will begin to weaken gradually, starting from Wednesday night, with the continuation of scattered rains until Thursday morning, December 29, 2022.”
A revised bulletin is expected to be issued on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, three wilayats in the Muscat governorate recorded the highest amount of rains in the Sultanate of Oman from Monday to Tuesday morning (10am).
Muttrah received rainfall measuring 154 mm, followed by Muscat with 113 mm and Seeb with 77 mm. Barka and Al Mussanah in Al Batinah South governorate recorded rainfall of 49 mm and 28 mm, respectively.
On the other hand, the wilayats of Shinas (6mm), Al Suwaiq (5mm), Sohar (3mm) and Al Khabourah (2mm) in the Al Batinah North governorate recorded lesser rainfall, while the wilayat of Madha in Al Buraimi governorate, recorded the least amount of rainfall with just 1 mm.
