Cylone Mekunu is set to make landfall in Salalah on Friday. The Royal Oman Police (ROP), Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) and Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), Dhofar Municipality and other government agencies are ready with rescue and rehabilitation measures to tackle Mekunu in Dhofar.
On Thursday, the cyclone hit Yemen’s Socotra island flooding several villages and capsizing boats.
Salalah International Airport has been closed due to tropical cyclone Mekunu from 20.00 hours on Thursday to 20.00 hours on Friday. At the time of going to print, Mekunu is 330 km from the city of Salalah.
The storm is expected to gather strength, bring in more rains and trigger flash floods.
“The present situation is under control and we have taken stock of the elaborate preparedness of the preventive, rescue and rehabilitation measures prevailing at the moment in Dhofar”, a senior PACDA official has said. “Several platoons of Civil Defence, rescue personnel are currently deployed and several more platoons ready to be called in for assistance”, he added.
Residents of all the coastal areas in Hafa, Dahariz, Taqah and Mirbat have been relocated to shelter homes spread all over Salalah and adjoining cities. Many areas in Salalah received sporadic rains and low lying areas closer to the beaches were waterlogged due to rough sea and very high waves. Sea water touched even the main road in Hafa area and service road in Dahariz. Mirbat also received rain in the evening but it was quite moderate.
People living closer to the beaches in Dahariz and Hafa have been asked to relocate to safer places as sea is expected to be rougher with waves touching 5 to 8 metres any time.
The coconut vendors in Dahariz have also been asked to shut their shops for the time being due to ensuing cyclone. Same is the situation with the Hafa Traditional Souq which is located very close to Hafa beach. Many shopkeepers in that area have already moved their stuff to safer places.
Abdul Qadir Ahmed al Haddad, Vice-Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, said the municipality and other committees and sub committees are well prepared to handle the situation and the municipality is available 24 hours for the people. He said important emergency numbers have been circulated through mobile SMSs through mobile phone service providers. “All the wadis (canals) have been cleaned to ensure easy flow of water and earth movers have been pressed into service to remove any sudden blockade caused by the cyclone like falling of trees and trash or mud deposit. High power pumps have also been pressed into service,” he said.
The wilayat municipalities have also been asked to be ready and co-operate in any situation arising out of the cyclone, he said.
Water trucks have been deployed in several areas to ensure provision of drinking water available after possible disconnection of electricity.
Due to sudden call of relocation from one place to another many people started searching for accommodation that too at safe locations and for a very short span of time. Some good Samaritans chose to open their doors anyone and everyone who needed accommodation.
MusthailSalim Musallam Khasoob and Ahmed Said Ali Afit al Yafi of Ganaen Salalah Trading Company have decided to open the doors of their various buildings located in different parts of Salalah, Awqad, and Sasdah for free to those who wish to live during the cyclone . They are offering this service to families of citizens and residents of Salalah.
They have already posted the location details etc on social media so that the message reaches to a vast majority of people. There are many such examples in Salalh City and other places.
Volunteers in Mirabat in association with Mirbat Club converted the club premises into shelter home for company workers are ready with food, water, sleeping arrangements, etc for the visiting workers. The premises already has 500 workers and many more are expected tomorrow and day after.
Similarly, they got Ibn Khaltoon School and Mirbat School for the same purpose to accommodate families.
Hotels are relocating their guests to safer rooms and some malls closed operation at 4pm on Thursday as a safety precaution to the property and customers.
Kaushalendra Singh and KABEER YOUSUF
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