Vehicles damaged
A1A number of cars were also submerged by the rains, while many others have been carried away by wadis in which rainwater was flowing at torrential speeds. Some parts of the governorate, however, reported milder weather: people in Al Hamra experienced moderate rains, while Izki also saw lesser rainfall. Rain is expected across many parts of the country until at least Friday, with hailstones also predicted in some areas.
Cloud flow
“Cloud flow will continue over most of the Sultanate, leading to chances of rain and occasional thundershowers, associated with downdraft wind, as well as hail over Musandam, Dhofar, and the Hajar Mountains and adjoining areas,” said the Directorate General of Meteorology in its Wednesday report. Winds are also expected in Al Buraimi and Al Dhahirah, leading to more downpours. The weather is expected to cause reduced visibility, fast-flowing wadis, and rough seas. People involved in farming, agriculture and related work have been requested to protect their livestock and other assets.
Take precautions
“Farmers, livestock breeders, and beekeepers are requested to take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety, and that of their livestock and their beehives, and to keep them away from wadis and reefs, due to thunderstorms accompanied by active winds,” said the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, which also asked fishermen to avoid sailing out to see during rough weather.
Towns in North Batinah received the maximum amount of rainfall over the last three days: Liwa saw the highest amount of rain (61mm), followed by Saham and Al Khabourah (56mm). Ibra (33mm) in South Sharqiyah and Barka (32mm) in South Al Batinah also saw good amounts of rain.
As part of efforts to provide relief to people who have suffered because of the thunderstorms, Walis in areas that have been particularly hard-hit have organised meetings to assess the impact of the weather. “There has been extensive damage in our area, especially to homes and properties,” said Sawsan Al Yaqoubi, vice president of the Development Committee of Al Khabourah. “Teams from the committee and Al Khabourah Municipality, along with the Wali, have inspected the damage caused to families, so that they can take steps to meet their needs.”
“The meeting to decide how to help them will take place on Thursday, so that we can list what aid is required,” she added. “We need to urgently provide housing to three families who have had their property damaged because of the weather, and this needs to be treated as a matter of emergency. We ask everyone to cooperate with the teams to see what they can do to help.”