Volunteers willingness to help rebuild after Shaheen a matter of pride: NCEM

MUSCAT: People who stepped forward to help rebuild those parts of the Sultanate of Oman that bore the brunt of cyclone Shaheen must be proud of their willingness to help their homeland during its time of need, an officer from the National Committee for Emergency Management (NCEM) has said.

In the wake of Shaheen, hundreds of volunteers from around the country signed up to travel to areas such as North Al Batinah, which saw the most damage from the cyclone. Volunteers either signed up with charitable organisations in their towns and cities, or made arrangements and travelled with community and family members.

“We are so proud of the community reaction before, during, and after cyclone Shaheen,” said Captain Salim Al Rasbi of the NCEM, speaking on the ROP Weekly radio show. “The community is committed to the NCEM instructions and advice during this incident

He added, “Moreover, the whole community is kind enough to volunteer in the recovery effort, and assist the related institutions in their duties. The community contribution was enormous and included many aspects, such as assistance in distributing supplies, volunteering, as well as offering their professional background in engineering, architecture, construction, and many other specialised forms of assistance.”

Al Rasbi said that managing the large numbers of people and resources coming to cyclone-hit areas required a lot of coordination to ensure their safety and security, which was also needed to make sure supplies were delivered in the most effective manner.