New homes given to more than 200 families affected by Kyarr
MUSCAT: Oman’s Ministry of Housing has provided replacement homes to those whose houses have been destroyed or suffered damaged due to the effects of Cyclone Kyarr, with more than 200 families in the Batinah Governorate alone receiving new homes.
Harsh weather conditions brought about by the effects of Kyarr meant many people in Oman who lived near the seashore had suffered damage to their homes, as well as the tools of their trade, such as fishing equipment. Properties belonging to many on the Batinah coastline have been damaged as a result of Kyarr.
A statement published by the Ministry of Housing said: “A number of governmentsponsored houses have been distributed to those along the Batinah coastal road project and these were given urgently due to the impact of the tidal waves caused by the latest climatic conditions due to cyclone Kyarr, with a total of 209 families receiving housing in Al Khaboura, Saham and Sohar.”
Awadh Al Manzari, the Wali of Saham, said: “There are shelters in Saham but no one was transferred to them. The coast of Saham was completely damaged. More than 150 families were evacuated from their homes and transferred to alternate houses because they were affected due to the Batinah coastal road and in coordination with the Directorate of Housing in Sohar and all the competent authorities. They were given to those families, and in addition, one family was moved to an apartment in a hotel in Saham.”
The Wali of Saham called on all citizens on the coast of Saham to communicate with the Wali’s office and the Directorate of Social Development in Saham about any situation affected by the tropical situation.
Affected families
The Wali of Sohar, Ali Al Shamsi, said: “There is cooperation and coordination between the Social Development Committee and the people to study affected families and find places of shelter away from the coastal region. They have been transferred by the Social Development Directorate in Sohar because this is the competent authority for the subsistence sector and they study social cases that need to be transferred.
“There were several meetings among the competent authorities in Sohar to follow the tropical situation caused by Kyarr,” added the Wali.
“I would like to stress that no deaths or injuries were recorded and we would like to ask people not to spread fake videos that seem to show dangerous conditions on the coastlines. We call on citizens to not get behind these videos that unnecessarily cause panic among people in Sohar. Only take advice from competent people.”
The Director of Social Development in Sohar, Mohsen Al Farsi, added, “We have 10 cases of families who have been compensated for being affected by the damage to the coastal road because of the impact by Kyarr. We also transferred five others who were affected by the climatic situation, as well as one family who lost their home when it was burnt down. These people were transferred to an apartment that was donated by a citizen from Sohar.
He stressed that: “We did not set up any shelters, because there were only a few places that suffered damage, such as Karwan, Suwayrah and Majis. We are fully informed and follow up on the tropical situation and its impact on the coast of Sohar. I call on all citizens in Sohar to communicate with the Directorate of Social Development in Sohar and the Royal Oman Police in Sohar.”