Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Latest: Cyclone Kyarr downgraded to storm
Muscat: Hundreds of people across the Sultanate’s coastline are being evacuated especially from those parts of Oman that are likely to face the effects of Tropical Cyclone Kyarr.
Kyarr was downgraded to a Category One tropical cyclone on Wednesday, and although it is weakening and not expected to directly impact the Sultanate, its indirect effects have been felt for the past few days.
Read here: Tropical Cyclone Kyarr downgraded to Category 1
An official from the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said, “The sub-committee of civil defence and ambulance is coordinating with other competent authorities to provide shelters across all the governorates of Oman.”
In a statement, Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) said, “The coasts overlooking the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea are exposed to rampages of the sea and high waves and sea water travelling further inland due to the weather. PACA calls on all citizens to exercise caution by securing fishing boats, by monitoring children, and by not touching electricity poles and street lights to avoid danger.”
In the Batinah Governorate alone, more than 170 families were evacuated from coastal areas that are expected to face the impact of Kyarr, and were moved further inland to safer places.
**media[1072044]**
Speaking to Times of Oman, Ali Al Shamsi, the wali of Sohar, said, “There is cooperation and coordination between the Social Development Committee and the people to identify those families that will be affected, and help them find shelter away from the coastal areas.”
The Directorate of Social Development in Sohar has transferred a number of families because they are the competent authority for the subsistence sector and study those cases that need to be transferred. There are several meetings among the competent authorities in Sohar to follow the development of a tropical cyclone like Kyarr.
**media[1072019]**
The Wali of Sohar added that no deaths or injuries had been recorded in Wilayat Sohar due to the arrival of Kyarr, and added that many people had shared videos that incorrectly showed people in his area sustaining injuries due to the impact of the cyclone.
“We would like to note that widespread videos that depict people stuck in bad situations, like those on the Sohar coastline, are not true. We reject these videos and call on citizens not to fall for these videos, so that they are not shared in a widespread manner. Please report these videos if you come across them because they will cause panic and anxiety among people.”
Fishermen who operated out of Sohar have said that their boats and fishing equipment was damaged. However, Al Shamsi has said that they will look into helping these fishermen after discussing it with the competent authorities.
“10 families were provided urgent compensation because they lived near the coastal road which had been damaged,” said Mohsin Al Farsi, director of Social Development in Sohar. “The transfer of five other families was taking place, but they were not affected by the damage to the coastal road. They have been affected by the cyclonic situation and were transferred to a residential building belonging to a citizen from Sohar. He generously donated his building to these families, and one of them had lost his home because it had been burned down.
There is no need to set up shelters because only a few places such as Karwan, Suwayrah, and Majis have been damaged,” added Al Farsi. “We are fully up to date with the situation and are following up on the tropical cyclone and its impact on the Sohar coast. I call on all citizens in Sohar to communicate with the Directorate of Social Development in Sohar and the Royal Oman Police in Sohar.”
Suleiman Al Mahrouqi, the Wali in Khabourah said, “No families have been transferred and the citizens on the coast of Khaboura were not affected by the tropical cyclone Kyarr. No deaths or injuries were recorded.”
