Eight people were missing while 11 were reported dead as Cyclone Mekunu caused flash flooding that tore away whole roadways and submerged others in Salalah, Oman’s third-largest city, stranding people.
Rushing waters from the rain and storm surges flooded typically dry creek beds. The holiday destination’s now-empty tourist beaches were littered with debris and foam from the churning Arabian Sea. Omani forecasters warned Salalah and the surrounding area would get at least 200 millimeters (7.87 inches) of rain, over twice the amount of rain this city typically gets in a year. Authorities remained worried about flash flooding in the area’s valleys and potential mudslides down its nearby cloud-shrouded mountains. The area actually received 278.2mm, nearly three times its annual rainfall.
Cyclone Mekunu hit Oman’s Dhofar and Al-Wusta provinces on Friday after intensifying from a category one to a category two cyclone, with winds of up to 170 kilometres per hour after it made landfall on Socotra on Thursday.
“Indian Embassy Team in Salalah has confirmed that as per Royal Oman Police, mortal remains of one (Shamsher Ali) of two missing Indian have been found and the search for the other (Madhu) is underway. There is no report of casualty amongst other expatriates,” the Indian Embassy in Muscat tweeted.