The Civil Defence and Ambulances Authority (CDAA) has urged people to avoid low-lying areas and wadis just as the efforts to restore basic services damaged by the rains in the wilayats of Al Awabi and Rustaq entered the second day on Tuesday.
These two wilayats in the South Al Batinah Governorate suffered colossal damages as a result of heavy rain and the overflow of valleys.
“People should avoid low-lying areas as torrential rains bring in flash floods especially along the geographically low-lying areas,” a spokesperson from the CDAA said, adding, “Venturing into the sea is dangerous as tidal waves can be harsh during the rains that will pose a challenge and using wadis during heavy rains is a criminal offence.”
Efforts are under way to restore the traffic movement to and from the state, electricity, water and telephone network and road network affected by the rains in a collective effort by the Royal Oman Police, CDAA, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and municipality employees.
“There were some damage to some roads in the wilayats of Al Awabi and Rustaq, and the temporarily closed roads are currently being opened while shelter camps are active around the governorate,” said Eng Yousef bin Abdullah al Mujaini, Director of the Projects Department at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.
Several governorates of the Sultanate of Oman witnessed rainfall of varying intensity, accompanied by active winds, which led to the flow of a number of valleys and reefs.
Valleys overflowed in Nizwa in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate after the torrential rains continued to wreak havoc and many valleys like Al Hijri, Al Musala, Al Rahba, Sumait, Al Suwehriya, Kuma and Wadi Al Mu’aidin overflowed. Jabal Al Akhdhar, Wadi Al Manakher and Wadi Seq witnessed the same, while Wadi Al Aq and Wadi Bani Rawaha in Wilayat of Samayil pose threat after overflowing since Monday.
The Royal Oman Police posted on its social media handle that a citizen was arrested for crossing a gushing wadi in the Wilayat of Al Hamra. He was rescued by the CDAA rescue team after his vehicle stopped in the middle of the wadi.
