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Heavy rains in Oman; temperatures fall further

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MUSCAT, Jan 15 - Heavy rains were reported in Muscat on Wednesday disrupting normal life as waterlogging hit traffic across the capital.


Educational institutions reported low or no attendance as students failed to report on time, according to sources. Heavy rains were reported from the governorates of Muscat, Musandam, North and South Al Batinah and Al Dakhiliyah, South Al Sharqiyah and parts of the east and the west Hajar mountains. While Oman Meteorology had warned heavy rains would continue till evening, but reports indicated the intensity was not the same as in the morning.


As sea waves are expected to rise to 3 m within the next 24 hours, sea goers and fishermen have been urged to avoid any risks.


According to an official at Oman Meteorology, the trough of low pressure that affected the Sultanate this week is nearly over with the likelihood of some isolated rains, especially in Al Sharqiyah.


Temperatures are expected to remain the same for the next three days and could get warmer than now in the following days.

In the Mawaleh area in Seeb, 18 people were rescued after their homes were inundated by heavy rains, said the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA).


According to Oman Meteorology, Ras al Hadd in South Al Sharqiyah received the highest amount of rainfall in the Sultanate, Muscat city received 42.8 mm and Seeb received 31.2 mm of rainfall.


An accident was reported near the Halban bridge on Muscat Expressway following a collision between two vehicles.


Muscat highway experienced traffic congestion due to heavy vehicle density, ROP said in a statement.


On Sultan Qaboos Street, waterlogging was reported opposite the Ministries Area leading to traffic congestion, it added.


Residents of Wadi Al Kabir in Muscat reported water-logging and flowing wadis due to heavy rains that started at 6.30 am, while Muttrah Souq again reported heavy flooding forcing traders to down shutters for the most part of the day.


Minimum temperatures in Muscat, Sur and Suhar were expected to drop to 14 degrees on Wednesday, to under single digits in Rustaq (10), Ibra (9), Nizwa (8), Haima (8) and Saiq (1).


The general forecast for Thursday is mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate with a chance of the late night to early morning low-level clouds or fog over parts of Al Dhahirah and Al Wusta governorates.

Temperatures dropped below 10 degrees Celsius in most wilayats due to the rain, while temperatures of 1 degrees below zero were registered in Al Jabal Al Akdhar and 2 degrees below zero in Jabal Shams.


Moderate to heavy rains were reported in the governorates of North and South Al Batinah, Musandam and the wilayat of Bidbid and Sur.


Temperatures dropped below 10 degrees Celsius in most wilayats due to the rain while temperatures of 1 degrees below Zero were registered in Al Jabal Al Akdhar and 2 degrees below zero in Jabal Shams.


Moderate to heavy rains accompanied by active wind were registered in the Wilayat of Shaham in North Al Batinah Governorate. The Wilayat of Al Rustaq experienced moderate to heavy rains which caused some wadis to overflow.


— Photos by Khalfan Al Ruzaiki


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