LOC20:41
17:41 GMT
MUSCAT, May 24 (KUNA) -- Volume of rainfall on the southern Omani region of Salalah reached up to 505 mm as a result of the tropical storm-turned cyclone, Mekunu, which ravaged wide swaths of land in the sultanate particularly along the southern coast.
The downpour is the highest in the globe on record, says the Ministry of Municipalities and Water Resources in a statement.
The volume of the rainfall in Salah amounted to 505 mm, in contrast to 490 mm that had fallen on the Chinese city Being Bu, it said. The region dam held six million cubic meter of water. The other dam in the region, Al-Himaya, 22.160 million cm and Shako dam in Rakhyout, 3,000 cb.
With strength of the storm largely receding, Omanis started examining the damage in properties. Streets have been littered with fallen trees, snapped power cables, rooftops and various twisted materials along with scattered abandoned cars.
At least three people have been confirmed dead and three others reported missing as Cyclone Mekunu pounded Dhofar governorate in south of the Sultanate.
Search operations are ongoing for the three missing persons, who are of Asian nationalities, Major Faisal Al-Hajri, Director of the Executive Office for the National Committee for Civil Defense said in a press statement.
So far, there are no further reports about other dead or missing persons, Al-Hajri confirmed, noting the heavy rainfall on several areas of Dhofar province caused major flooding in valleys and overflowing in dams.
NCCD is currently working around the clock to rehabilitate some roads and highways that were damaged by the floods, he said, pointing out damage was inflicted at the Port of Salalah and that repair work was underway.
Earlier, the Omani Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) downgraded Cyclone Mekunu to category one with wind speed reaching below 154 kmph.
Heavy rain continued to fall on Dhofar and Al-Wusta governorates, resulting in accumulated rainwater between 200-400 ml and floods, PACA said in a press statement.
Cyclone Mekunu was downgraded to category one with wind speed reaching below 154 kmph, said the Sultanate's Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) earlier Saturday.
According to the PACA, heavy rain continued to fall on the Governorates of Dhofar and Al-Wusta, resulting in accumulated rainwater between 200-400 ml and floods.
Omani authorities had evacuated around 10,000 from the provinces of Dhofar and Wusta yesterday.
The tropical storm started surging across the sea waters two days ago, creating high waves that slammed on the Omani shores, and hitting hard the Yemeni island of Socotra, where at least seven people were confirmed dead, along with 30 others still missing.
Local media had broadcast recurring warnings to Omanis and expatriates to take maximum precautions and move to sturdy buildings, favorably located on high or inland ground.
The Kuwaiti diplomatic mission set up an emergency room to relieve any Kuwaiti citizen in distress and announced that it was reachable round the clock to offer any help needed. (end)
ahr.gta.ma.rk