Steps taken in the wake of cyclone
Lt Col Hajri added, “There is no comparison between Mekunu and Luban. Mekunu passed through Dhofar but according to the information currently available, Luban will not directly pass through any of the governorates. Dhofar will only come in contact with the clouds surrounding the storm which will cause heavy rain.”
“The course of the storm, unlike previous events, will not pass the Sultanate’s territory or its coasts but will be moving in the direction of the south, towards the Gulf of Aden and the Republic of Yemen,” he said.
On the other hand, the National Committee for Civil Defence has also ensured that areas that were cut off by storms in the past are protected.
“The committee has developed a plan to protect areas such as the west of Dhofar, on how they can install resources such as back-up generators, extra fuel or technical roads, spare parts, beforehand, so even if supply flow to those areas was cut, they could still be sustained,” Al Hajri said.
Meetings in Dhofar
The Civil Defence sub-committee met on Monday in Dhofar and reviewed measures and procedures for preparedness and precautionary measures to limit the impact of the situation.
“The measures included the maintenance and cleaning of the Wadis, drainage channels, and ensuring the development of dams, and other aspects related to the flow of valleys naturally, to ensure that no blockages occur,” Al Hajri said.
On the other hand, Mohammed Al Maishani, General Manager of Corporate Affairs at Salalah Port, said that plans and measures began two days ago, adding, “The company worked in coordination with the international and regional shipping lines on ways to stop or redirect any line to other ports in the event of a crisis, in addition to measures to evacuate what is currently in the port as the storm approaches.”
The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) and the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) also hosted meetings to discuss the tropical storm Luban.
Dr. Mohammed Al Zaabi, head of PACA, held the first meeting of the internal committee for managing the extraordinary weather conditions. During the meeting, members of the committee and members of the authority’s office in Dhofar discussed the latest developments in the Arabian Sea and preparations for managing the tropical storm.
In anticipation of Luban, the competent authorities in Dhofar are working to gradually raise the level of preparedness, in connection with the situation and developments in the next few hours and days. Salalah Airport also held a meeting headed by the executive vice president of Oman Airports to study the readiness required to face the storm and to discuss the insurance of the airport’s facilities, its safety and flexibility of movement in dealing with the situation as it arises.
Lessons from the past
Authorities have called on citizens and residents to only take information and news from the appropriate sources, and not to believe rumours that are circulated online and across social media.