MUSCAT: The governorates of Al Sharqiyah North and South witnessed extremely heavy rains accompanied by hail and strong downdraft wind as a low pressure system continued to impact the country for the second day, on Monday.
The National Committee on Emergency Management continued its efforts to provide aid and support to citizens and residents through a number of subcommittees spread across the governorates. Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continued for missing persons, transporting the injured to hospitals and rescuing people stranded running wadis as a lot of people were evacuated to safe places after their homes were partially or totally damaged due to heavy rain.
Weather analysis by the National Multi Hazard Early Warning Centre indicated that the adverse weather will reach its peak on the dawn of Tuesday.
Aisha bint Jumaa al Qasmiyah, a meteorologist at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said that the third wave of the depression is the severest and is predicted to bring heavy rains. The governorates of Musandam, Al Dhahirah, Al Buraimi, Al Batinah North and Al Dakhiliyah are likely to witness heavy to extremely heavy rains to the governorates of Al Batinah South, Muscat and parts of Al Wusta while the other governorates will witness scattered rains of varying intensity. The effects of the low pressure system will continue until Wednesday evening with rain of varying intensity falling on the governorates of Al Dakhiliyah, Al Sharqiyah North and Al Sharqiyah South.
Al Qasmi noted that giant supercells had formed over the governorates of Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhiliyah and Al Sharqiyah North since Monday morning bringing rainfall of varying intensity. Supercells also affected the governorates of Al Sharqiyah South, Al Sharqiyah North, Al Dakhiliyah and parts of Al Dhahirah and Al Wusta causing rain of varying intensity accompanied by active winds and hail.
She added that some wilayats witnessed heavy to extremely heavy rains on Monday bringing torrential rains that caused wadis to overflow. The highest rainfall amounts were recorded in the wilayats of Wadi Bani Khalid, Al Kamil W'al Wafi, Al Qabil, Al Mudhaibi, Bidiyah, Ibra, and Qurayat.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a statement on Monday calling on citizens and residents to be extra cautious as torrential rains ranging between 5 mm and 150 mm are predicted on Tuesday in Musandam Governorate and 30 mm to 120 mm in the governorates of Al Buriami, Al Dhahirah, Al Batinah North and Al Dakhiliyah.
There are also chances of rainfall of varying intensity in the governorates of Muscat, Al Batinah South, Al Sharqiyah North and Al Wusta on Tuesday.
The Wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid in the Al Sharqiyah North Governorate recorded the highest rainfall amount of 159 mm followed by the wilayats of Ibra, Al Mudhaibi and Sinaw (126 mm). The Wilayat of Bidiyah recorded 114 mm, the Wilayat of Al Qabil (109 mm), the Wilayat of Al Kamil W'al Wafi (107 mm) and the Wilayat of Qurayat in Muscat Governorate recorded 100 mm.
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