Muscat: Three people, including a child died, and two went missing in Oman on Sunday as the cyclone Shaheen battered the sultanate with heavy rain and strong winds.
Oman’s wadis are overflowing and streets in several governorates, including Muscat, are inundated as Shaheen dumped rain ahead of its landfall, expected between 6 pm – 9 pm, around Saham and al Musannah region.
Oman Observer photographer based in the wilayat of Barka said the whole region started experiencing torrential rains and strong winds.
Heavy rain ranging between 200 and 500 millimeters with severe flash floods reported from across governorates of North al Batinah, South al Batinah, Muscat, al Dhahira, al Buraimi , al Dakhliya and the coastal areas of South al Sharqiya.
The latest satellite images and weather charts analysis at the National Multi Hazards Early Warning Center indicated that the tropical cyclone Shaheed is located at longitude 58.3 °E and latitude 24.1°N. The tropical cyclone continues to move towards the coastal areas of Oman Sea with estimated surface wind speed around the center 65 to 75 knots (120 – 139 km/hr).
The cyclone is expected to continue in its movement toward the coast of North Al Batinah.
The influences may extend to the Governorates of Musandam, North and South AL Sharqiya with isolated rain (30-70) millimeters and heavy to moderate winds (15-25 knots), said the Met report.
Sea condition is expected to be very rough over the coastal areas between South Al-Shargiya to Musandam Governorates with maximum wave height ranging between 8 and 12 meters. In addition storm surge might cause seawater inundation of low-level coastal areas. The sea state will be moderate to rough along the rest of Omani coasts with maximum wave height between 2 and 3 meters.
