Life at Muttrah Souq is slowly returning to normalcy

MUSCAT, MARCH 29
The lives of people in Muttrah Souq, one of the oldest marketplaces in the Arab world, are slowly getting back to normal after days of rain ravaged the traditional souq and disrupted daily life.
The souq, which is the livelihood for nearly 3,000 people, including shop owners and expatriate employees, suffered the most recent rains due to its geographical location. The souq allows water to flow from the northern side to the Corniche side facing the Arabian Sea.
Shops were submerged, and muddy water entered most shops selling household goods, clothing, spices, antiques, and more. This made visiting the shops nearly impossible and kept shoppers and workers away for days.
'Shops inside the souq were all affected, and we had to wait for days as the narrow paths inside the souq turned into water canals with a high-speed flow. We are slowly returning to normal life,' said Talal al Zadjali, a shop owner who sold traditional medicine.
'Most shops in the souq were open for only a few hours due to the weather forecast. They closed around noon as the rains began, and we were prepared for any adversity,' said Mohammed Aftab, a social worker who runs a shop in the souq.
He remembers how a large amount of water flowed through the souq towards the beach road as the rain continued. However, shoppers had already moved their belongings to higher ground as instructed by the Muscat Municipality.
'Most water-sensitive items were moved to a higher area and were closely monitored near the souq,' said Ahmed al Mujaini, who sells frankincense and other traditional goods.
Muttrah Souq has historically been a crucial trading hub for goods. It was an important trading point connecting Muscat to India, China and Europe during the age of sail. Today, after undergoing maintenance and beautification by the Muscat Municipality, it remains a bustling market selling textiles, spices, frankincense and traditional Omani silver.
To protect the market from adverse weather, authorities have raised the frontage of the shops inside the souq after the 'Shaheen' storm in October 2021, which caused significant damage in the country. This action has helped prevent potential losses due to flash floods.