Muscat: The weather forecast for Wednesday indicates chances of scattered rain of varying intensity, thunderstorms at times for Musandam, Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhiliyah, North and South Al Batinah, Muscat, North and South Al Sharqiyah.
There is also a possibility of rising dust and dirt in the Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates during the night and tomorrow morning as a result of the wind movement.
Muscat was the hardest hit with many roads waterlogged and a surprise downpour on Tuesday.
Many employees reported being late to the office or forced to work from home as traffic lights went off and ROP officials directed traffic from morning to evening in many parts of Muscat.
Schools suspended evening classes as many classrooms were inundated with rainwater.
Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority and Royal Oman Police helped to tow away many vehicles stuck in rain due to the low pressure affecting the Sultanate of Oman from Monday to Wednesday.
The Bausher- Al Amerat road was closed to traffic, while traffic signals below Al Khuwair and the Qurum bridges did not function for hours in the morning, leading to traffic chaos at the junction near the Muscat Grand Mall.
A number of citizens and residents shared images and videos of flood water near their apartments in places such as Wadi Kabir, Darsait, Qurum, and Muttrah Souq.
According to the National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre, upper air troughs are likely to continue until Thursday.
Abdullah al Khadhouri of Oman Meteorology said most of the northern governorates, including the capital, will get rain on Tuesday.
The current weather situation will start gradually weakening by Wednesday with continuing chances of scattered rain until Thursday.
Expected impacts will include 10-60 mm rainfall and fresh downdraft winds with speeds of 15 to 35 kt (30-70km/h). Sea will be moderate to rough with maximum wave height will be between 2 meters to 3m meters along the coasts of Musandam Governorate and the coastal areas of the Sea of Oman.
Muttrah tops in rain
The Wilayat of Muttrah recorded the highest amount of rain, amounting to 154 mm, followed by Muscat with 113 mm and Al Seeb 77 mm, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.
While the Wilayat of Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate has recorded 49 mm of rainfall, 28 mm in the Wilayat of Al Musannah located in same governorate, 26 mm in the Wilayat of Bukha in Musandam Governorate, and 25 in each of the Wilayat of Nakhal in South Al Batinah Governorate and the Wilayat of Bausher in Muscat Governorate.
The Wilayat of Dibba in Musandam Governorate has received 23 mm of rainfall, 22 mm in each of the Wilayats of Khasab and Wadi Al Maawil and 16 mm in the Wilayat of Liwa in North Al Batinah Governorate.
A wall of a labour camp in the Wilayat of Al Seeb collapsed and injured workers.
“Part of the wall of our labour camp went down when the workers were asleep. They woke up in a panic and some slipped in the mud and got hurt. Many of them lost their belongings including money,” the supervisor of a construction labour camp, said.
Many citizens reported damages to their houses due to heavy rains throughout the night and early hours of the morning on Tuesday.
Al Nahdhah and Khoula hospitals had to cancel outpatient clinic appointments due to the heavy rains.
Maj Fahad bin Said al Kalbani, In-charge of the tasks of the Director General of Traffic, said that the ROP is operating regular patrols to monitor traffic flow and ensure road safety. The ROP is coordinating with the authorities concerned to facilitate the passage of vehicles after the closure of Bausher-Al Amerat hill road and organize traffic in flooded roundabouts.
Exercise caution
The Directorate General of Traffic called members of the public to exercise more caution and follow-up news about the weather. It urged drivers not to risk crossing wadis and reminded all to stick to traffic regulations.
The operations center of Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA), Governorate of Muscat, received 30 reports of people getting stranded as a result of the rains. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Rains are likely to continue to fall in the northern governorates of Oman, with varying degrees of intensity. CAA stations registered 72 mm at Port Sultan Qaboos, 39 mm in Muscat city, and 27 mm at Muscat International Airport.
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