Cyclone Mekunu prompts evacuation of hundreds of Indians in Oman, volunteer groups offer assistance

Video by NewsCart/Bader al Baddei

Hundreds of Indians have been evacuated from low-lying areas in Oman, where cyclone Mekunu was expected to make landfall.

A global forecast announced the cyclone was likely to hit Salalah — a southern Omani town bordering Yemen — at around 1 pm (2: 30 pm IST) on Friday. Salalah is home to around 80,000 Indians.

“Indians from the low-lying areas have been moved to schools and other shelters,” Manpreet Singh, the Indian consular agent in Salalah told Firstpost.

“We have urged people to move to apartments in high areas. We have arranged them free of cost for the people,” Singh added.

At around 11 am (IST), Oman’s meteorology department tweeted that the extremely severe cyclone has intensified into a Category 2 storm.

“Wave heights are expected to rise up to 12 metres,” the Oman meteorology said in a special bulletin.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) centre reported at 1 am (2.30 am IST) on Friday that Cyclone Mekunu will hit the coast with winds up to 85 kts (98 miles per hour).

“Mekunu is a category 2 storm on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale,” the Tropical Storm Risk centre said. A Category 2 storm is accompanied by strong destructive winds with typical gusts attaining a speed of 125-164 kilometres per hour.

An Indian medical professional in Salalah said that patients have been evacuated from the Sultan Qaboos Hospital, the biggest in the city, and other hospitals, and that police and rescue teams have been kept on alert. Shibu S, an Indian accountant in Salalah, said he has moved to Muscat, around 1,500 kilometres from Salalah.

The Omani government has declared government and private schools shut for the next few days. Salalah airport remained closed since Thursday. Residents from low-lying areas in the city are being evacuated to nearby schools on police vehicles.

“The coastal road in the region of Dahrez in the Governorate of Dhofar and the coastal road in the Governorate of Al Wusta are being closed for traffic,” the Royal Oman Police (ROP) announced online. “The roads have been closed due to a rise in sea level,” said an ROP official, adding that they will be patrolling the affected areas the moment Mekunu hits Oman.

Many Indian volunteer groups have come forward to lend help.

In 2007, the northern part of Oman was hit by a similar cyclone named Gonu.

Considered one of the worst natural disasters in Oman’s history, Gonu caused 50 deaths and about $4.2 billion in damages. In Iran, Gonu killed 28 people and caused damages worth $216 million.

Emergency Tel Numbers:- Add 00968 before all numbers Civil Defence dhofar 23234599 Civil Defence sadha 23234975 Civil defence salalah 23290077 Civil Defence Awqad 23212146 Civil Defence Raysut 23219131 Civil Defence Mirbat 23268594 Civil Defence Thaka 23258077 Water Emergency 1445 Water Emergency 23290052 Electricity Emergency 154 Electricity Emergency 23219188 Amulance Awqad 99479463 Sultan Qaboos Hospital 23216100 Police Station Salalah 23290099 Police Station Sadha 23234170 Airport Salalah 23295747 Indian volunteer numbers Sainudheen 99490108 Sabeer 92822648 Sabukhan 95445348 Abdullah 95851425 Rashid 92653948 Sameer 97080566 Mustafa 94052178 Sidiq 99484599

The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media organisation.