Emergency services called upon to rescue people as rains lash parts of Oman

Muscat: Emergency services in Oman were kept busy while heavy rains lashed parts of the country, being called upon to rescue people who had got stranded because of the rough weather, while constantly monitoring climatic conditions to keep the public informed.

Heavy to medium rains fell across most of the governorates of Oman on Tuesday, leading to heavy flow of water in wadis.

The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA) informed people in a number of regions in Oman to keep clear of fast-flowing wadis, including Wadi Mistal in Wilayat Nakhal in South Al Batinah, Wadi Al Wasit near Nizwa, Wadi Muqwa in Wilayat Izki and Wadi Al Dhababneh in Wilayat Bahla, all of them in Al Dakhiliyah.

One of the rescues carried out by the CDAA involved the extraction of four people, after their vehicle had gotten stuck in a wadi near Al Hamra.

A number of other wadis, including Wadi Khos, Wadi Mari, Wadi Al Samar, Wadi Al Khabib, Wadi Fada, and Wadi Dutt, all of them in Wilayat Dhank in the Dhahirah Governorate, as well as Wadi Al Marri in Wilayat Yanqul and Wadi Al Rawda in Wilayat Ibri also had fast-flowing waters in them, because of the rains.

In North Sharqiyah, Wadi Da’ada in Wilayat Al Mudhaibi and Wadi Al Samar in the Governorate of Buraimi, were also feeling the effects of the rains.

“The authority calls on motorists to not risk crossing wadis, so as to preserve the safety of all,” said the CDAA in an advisory.

From 3 July to 9am on 5 July, Wilayat Izki recorded the highest amount of rain in Oman at 42mm, followed by Wilayat Jabal Akdhar (35mm) in Al Dakhiliyah. Wilayat of Dima wa Ta’een (32mm) and Wilayat Ibri in Ad Dhahirah, Wilayat Nizwa in Al Dakhiliyah and Wilayat Al Hamra, received 1mm of rain each, according to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources.