Four dead, one missing after thunderstorm rips through Oman

A strong thunderstorm swept Oman on Satuday, March 21, causing damage to property and four deaths — with three people reported missing initially, before authorities said on Sunday morning that the bodies of two were found.

Civil defence forces in Oman said they responded to 18 reports in which they rescued and evacuated of 34 people from their homes. They also responded to 15 reports of people trapped in wadis, which is when the two deaths were recorded.

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One report from the authority said that a vehicle carrying 10 people was swept away in a wadi stream in the Barka governate. Responders rescued seven people, and the search for the three missing people continued on Saturday night, as shown in the video below posted by the civil defence authority in Oman.

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On Sunday morning, the authority announced that two of the three missing persons had been found dead.

Storms ahead

The unstable weather is expected to continue over the coming week, with authorities in Oman warning residents to remain vigilant and pay attention to official instructions.

Oman Meteorology has issued an alert from 10am to 10pm on Sunday, warning of rainfall of varying intensity accompanied by hail, leading to flash flooding in wadis and valleys, some of which may be torrential.

The expected areas of impact are North Al Sharqiyah, South Al Sharqiyah, Al Wusta, Al Dakhiliyah, Ad Dhahirah, South Al Batinah and Muscat.

• Oman

Written by

Supreeta Balasubramanian

Supreeta is a digital journalist who reads between the lines as she churns out stories. She finds joy in K-pop, exploring new hobbies, and tackling her never-ending list of books to read.