MUSCAT: The Council of Ministers on Monday extended sincere condolences to the families and relatives of school students who passed away in the Governorate of Al Sharqiyah North as a result of the heavy rains and floods accompanying the current adverse weather conditions.
The Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers on Monday issued a statement to this effect reading as follows: "With hearts filled with grief and faith in the will of the Almighty Allah, the Council of Ministers extends its sincere condolences and sympathies to the families and relatives of school students who recently died in the Governorate of Al Sharqiyah as a result of the heavy rains and wadi flooding that accompanied the current adverse weather conditions. The Council of Ministers prays to Almighty Allah to bestow His mercy on the deceased, grant them dwelling in heavens and support their families with solace and patience to bear the loss.”
Meanwhile, the death toll from Sunday’s flash floods has gone up to 18 with the Civil Defence and Ambulance teams finding one of the missing persons.
The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA) said two persons were found dead after their vehicle was washed away in Wadi Halfin in the Wilayat of Adam.
In another incident, a vehicle carrying 5 people drifted into a wadi in Duqm, where two of them were rescued and taken to the hospital for necessary treatment. Rescue teams from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Department in Al Wusta Governorate are still searching for missing 3 other people.
CDAA said a vehicle with four people drifted in a wadi in the Wilayat of Adam, where two people were found dead, and a search is on way for the other two.
RAIN ALERT
Numerical charts and analysis of the National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre indicated that heavy thunderstorms accompanied with strong downdraft winds and hail expected over Governorate of Musandam (50-150 mm).
Rainfall amounts ranging from 30-120 mm also expected over Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, Al Batinah North and Al Dakhiliyah governorates.
Continuous varied intensity rains also predicted over governorates of Muscat, Al Batinah South, Al Sharqiyah South and Al Sharqiyah North and the northern parts of Al Wusta causing flashfloods.
Chances of isolated rain also expected over Dhofar Governorate starting from Monday night till Tuesday. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advices all to exercise maximum caution during thunderstorms, avoid crossing wadis, avoid low-laying areas and not to venture into the sea during the alert period.
Meanwhile, in view of the adverse weather condition prevailing in the Sultanate of Oman, it has been decided to suspend work on Tuesday for employees in units of the State’s civil administrative apparatus and for workers in private sector establishments in the governorates of Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, Al Batinah North and Al Dakhiliyah. In other governorates, online work can be applied if it is not possible for employees to physically attend office.
The Civil Defence and Ambulance Department received a report about a vehicle with 4 people drifting in a valley, where two people were found dead, and the search is under way for the other two.
Police aviation carried out an operation to shift 21 people from the farms in the Wilayat of Qurayat, as they were unable to reach their homes due to over-flowing wadis.
Lt Col Mohammed bin Salam al Hashami, the official spokesman for the National Centre for Emergency Management (NCEM), said the centre received 78 distress calls since Sunday morning.
He pointed out that rains are concentrated in the governorates of Al Sharqiyah North, Al Sharqiyah South, Al Dakhiliyah, and Al Batinah South.
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