(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- Salalah received 505mm of rainfall as Cyclone Mekunu caused widespread flooding and destruction in Dhofar along with claiming four lives.
The cyclone passed on Salalah turning into a depression bySaturdayevening but not before leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Large scale infrastructure damage was reported from across Dhofar.On Saturday, several government agencies sprung into action to start clean-up and road repair works throughout the governorate.
In its forecaston Saturday, the National Multi Hazard Early Warning Centre said that the intensity of the cyclone has reduced from deep to tropical depression. This will still lead to isolated rains and occasional thundershowers over Dhofar and Al Wusta associated with fresh winds.
Sea state will continue to be rough along Dhofar and Al Wusta coasts with maximum wave height from 3-6m. Along the South Sharqiyah coasts, the sea state will be rough with maximum wave height from 2-3m.
Lt Col Faisal bin Salem al Hajri, executive director, National Committee for Civil Defence, said that three Asians are missing and searches are on to find them. He stressed that the committee has not received any other report concerning death or missing so far.
Lt Col Hajri said that heavy rainfall led to flooding in many areas in Dhofar. 'The rains led to flooding of wadis and filling of dams in Shalnout and Shakhu.'
He said that there was some damage to the road leading to the Port of Salalah and work was ongoing to repair it. The Mirbat-Sadah road, Darbat (old bridge), roads to Raysut and Mughsail were also damaged.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) said, the Hasik-Shuwaymiyah road too has been damaged. 'We will evaluate and undertake the required maintenance works after the current weather condition improves,' MoTC stated. 'The road is closed due to landslides and the falling of boulders.'
According to rainfall monitoring stations of the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources, fromFridaytoSaturday, the highest rainfall was recorded in Salalah (505mm), while it was 250mm in Taqah, 213mm in Mirbat, 192mm in Rakhyout, 157mm in Thumrait, 91mm in Al Mazyouna, 61mm in Shaleem and 28mm in Halaniyat Islands.
According to the UK government's Met office, the historical record reveals that strong cyclones over part of the peninsula (close to Salalah) are relatively rare. 'The most recent strong cyclones to make landfall close to the city of Salalah occurred in 1963 and 1959. The former produced over 200mm rain and caused severe sandstorms. The latter caused flooding and severe damage to buildings.'
Cyclones of the strength of Mekunu have made landfall over the Arabian Peninsula in the recent past. In 2015, Cyclone Chapala brought flash flooding as it came ashore over Yemen. Cyclone Phet brought strong winds and heavy rain to northern Oman when it made landfall in 2010. The strongest cyclone on record to make landfall over the Arabian Peninsula was Gonu in 2007.
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