Cyclone Shaheen leaves several dead in Oman
October 3, 2021
The center of Tropical Cyclone Shaheen made landfall in Oman on Sunday, killing 12, disrupting flights and halting movement on the roads of the capital Muscat to all but emergency services.
The eyewall of the storm is where the most severe impacts of the cyclone are felt.
Omani authorities urged residents to evacuate coastal areas in Al Batinah South governorate. In Muscat, streets were deserted as water levels rose to tire height.
One child swept away by water was already declared dead.
Two foreign workers were reported dead when their home was clobbered by a landslide in the Rusayl industrial area of Muscat province.
Another man was in his vehicle when floodwaters swept him away.
In Iran, the body of one of six missing fisherman was recovered off Pasabandar.
Flights and schools both were experiencing disruption.
As Cyclone Shaheen barreled towards the coast, wind speeds of up to 139 kilometers (86 miles) were clocked earlier 65 kilometers from Muscat.
Check flights if transiting to or from Oman
Oman's airports tweeted earlier flights to and from the capital Muscat were suspended "to avoid any risks".
Later, the airport authority said, "Some flights have been rescheduled based on the airport procedures to avoid the direct impact of the weather situation."
The cyclone made landfall around 7:00 PM local time (1500 GMT).
Oman and neighbors anticipate disruptions
Oman, an oil exporting nation of five million where most live in or near Muscat, had the power supply cut in al-Qurm, east of the capital, to avoid accidents and reported more than 2,700 people were put up in emergency shelters.
The civil aviation authority urged people to avoid low areas like valleys.
The Oman News Agency reported the country had declared a two-day national holiday on Sunday and Monday, shuttering schools, "due to the adverse climate conditions."
In Iran, across the sea, the deputy speaker of the parliament, Ali Nikzad, said six people were killed in Chabahar port in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, according to the ICANA news agency. The provincial governor reported damaged infrastructure.
Neighboring countries like the United Arab Emirates National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority informed, "We would like to assure everyone that the concerned authorities are on high alert and prepared to deal with any upcoming tropical situation."
Saudi Arabia's civil defense authorities urged caution in several regions overnight as heavy winds, potentially triggering floods, are expected.
ar/aw (AFP, Reuters)