Masirah Island, Sur faced the brunt of Phet's intensity * Muscat residents woke up to wet and windy conditions * Storm claims 2 lives, few treated in hospitals * Authorities rescue people trapped in wadis * Low-lying areas in Qurum, Ghubrah flooded * Water-logging made some roads impassable - By Observer Staff - MUSCAT - Vast swathes of northern Oman were battered by heavy rains, accompanied by gusting winds in the wake of Tropical Storm Phet's brush past the Sultanate's east coast yesterday.
The torrential downpour triggered strong wadi flows in many parts of the country, impacting vehicular movement, while also inundating low-lying areas. Waterlogged streets, sporadic blackouts, and falling trees and poles, added to the general chaos that gripped areas worst affected by the storm. The adverse weather conditions notwithstanding, Oman was generally spared the kind of devastation witnessed in June 2007.
But a significantly weakened Phet, which was downgraded to a tropical storm when it neared Oman's Sharqiyah coast, claimed two lives - that of an Omani who drowned in a wadi in the Dhahirah region, and an Asian expatriate who was electrocuted after coming into contact with a live wire in the Wilayat of Al Amerat. A number of people trapped in wadis were also treated at local hospitals after being rescued by Civil Defence and emergency authorities.
In Masirah Island, which faced the brunt of Phet's intensity, storm surges driven by powerful winds tossed about ferries, dhows and fishing boats harbouring close to the jetty. Some fishing vessels were wrecked, while others sustained some damage, it is learnt. Tin sheets were ripped off roofs while satellite dishes were sent hurtling away when the storm hit the island late on Thursday, local resident Abdulrehman said.
In Muscat Governorate, people awoke to wet and windy conditions that deteriorated into spells of torrential rains. Grey skies and strong winds were a feature of much of the day. Gusting winds felled trees and electric poles and toppled billboards in some places. Streets turned into flowing rivers making driving a hazardous pursuit in some areas. Qurum business district, a popular shopping hub, was substantially flooded as Wadi Qurum overflowed its banks. The district is home to shopping malls, banks, jewellery stores and consumer and retail outlets.
In what appears to be a repeat of the devastating flooding that engulfed Qurum in the aftermath of the 2007 adverse weather conditions, flood waters have inundated the whole neighbourhood. Police have cordoned off access to the blacked-out shopping district. In Qurum, where a new culvert is being built across Sultan Qaboos Street near the roundabout, traffic was diverted after Wadi Qurum's overflow inundated the carriageway. Water-logging also made roads impassable at certain places in Wadi Adai and Wadi al Kabir. Adding to the chaos on some streets were malfunctioning traffic signals.
In Wadi al Kabir, several cars were overwhelmed by floodwaters when motorists tried to navigate through flooded streets. At Darsait, local residents were seen guiding traffic away from flooded spots. Further downstream, Royal Oman Police personnel set up barricades to keep vehicles from entering flood prone areas. Rockslides also impeded traffic in some areas. In Al Ghubrah and Al Athaiba, many homes in low-lying neighbourhoods were flooded, local residents said. Strong flows were also reported in wadis in Seeb, Mawaleh and Maabelah. Satellite television transmission was sporadic in some areas.
On Masirah Island, where Tropical Storm Phet's impact was the strongest, residents reported a "nightmarish" experience when the storm struck. According to Joe Coelho, General Manager of the Swiss Belhotel Resort Masirah Island, a recently opened property owned by Omran, Phet struck with unmitigated ferocity. A torrential downpour, accompanied by winds of 185 km per hour, battered the beachfront property, as also much of the rest of the island, for several hours when Phet came ashore. "It was a terrifying experience," said Coelho, who along with four other colleagues, had decided to stay behind at the property and ride out the storm.
"It all began at around 3 pm on Thursday afternoon when Masirah was hit by a thunderstorm with lightning flashes and gusting winds. We were pounded by ferocious winds and heavy rains for nearly 10 hours till just after midnight. As advised by the Royal Oman Police, we stayed away from glass windows and doors and moved to a secure part of the lobby for the duration of the storm. Things eased only by around 2 am." A quick survey of the premises early the next morning revealed that Phet had done its damage.
The fibreglass top of the property's restaurant had been completely destroyed. Also damaged was the hotel's compound wall, parts of which were washed away by floodwaters. Speaking to the Observer, Coelho voiced amazement that despite the havoc wrought on the island, Tropical Storm Phet produced no casualties - an outcome he credits entirely to the authorities for their timely action in evacuating residents and taking other preventive measures. "A storm of this magnitude has the potential to do considerable harm in human lives, but thanks to the pre-emptive measures by the government we have zero casualties on the island," he noted.