MUSCAT: The basic service sector at the National Committee for Emergency Management is coordinating the field response efforts of the adverse weather conditions that affected electricity, water, sanitary drainage, communications, waste management and transport services in a number of governorates of the Sultanate. The basic service sector is coordinating the efforts of support between the various service sectors, the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF), the engineering services at the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Oman Police (ROP), and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (PACDA).
This was stated by Abdullah bin Mubarak al Hashmi, coordinator of the basic services sector at the National Committee for Emergency Management.
In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Hashmi said that the tasks of the committees have been activated in accordance with the directives issued and under the supervision of the heads of the sub-committees for the management of emergency cases in the governorates.
The official added that efforts were coordinated to react to the impact of the weather condition by activating the emergency response plans at all entities of the basic service sectors and sub-sectors besides activating the mutual support plan between the sub-sectors and the supporting entities. The communication plan for the sector was also activated which contributed to accelerating the process of restoring affected services.
For instance, in the water and sanitary drainage services, Oman Wastewater Services Company-Haya Water, started work in the Wilayat of Sur in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, repairing the main transmission pipeline which was broken due to the flow of water from wadis causing water disruption in Sur.
The basic services sector coordinated efforts to provide water by large water tankers with the support of the Ministry of Defence engineering services, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (PACDA) with the aim of providing drinking water in the affected areas, the official said noting that the work is ongoing to repair the broken pipe and restore the water supply, affirming that no major effects have been recorded in the water supply in other governorates.
Al Hashmi explained that the electricity sector, represented by the specialised electricity companies of Nama Group, have activated emergency response plans to restore electricity service affected by heavy rain and the overflow of wadis, as a number of locations in the governorates of North and South Al Sharqiya governorates, experienced power outages. The basic services sector worked in coordination with the Royal Air Force of Oman (Rafo) to follow up the work of restoring the electric current in coordination with the Oman Electricity Transmission Company and Mazoon Electricity Company. As a result of these efforts, the electricity supply was restored within a period not exceeding 24 hours after the end of the weather condition with some disruptions remaining as precautionary measures and others because the technical teams and equipment were unable to access the areas due to road blockage. — ONA
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