Gonu Storm in Muscat

6 June 2007 1230 am:

The view from my window at 10 am on this wednesday was worrying. Whole night there was a severe warning of a category 4 cyclone approaching this desert city of Muscat. It hardly rains here in any year but this year there had been heavy rains on several occasions. May be due the global warming. Probably in a few years time the deserts of Oman will turn lively green like my home town of Cochin and ruin the rain forests in kerala into dry baking owens.


Gonu the powerful cyclone which originated in the Arabian sea on Tuesday , lashed Oman's coast and capital with heavy rains and wind. Thousands of people fled low-lying areas. Historically this is the strongest recorded storm to hit Oman and it was moving toward southern Iran. No deaths had been reported on Wednesday in Oman or its capital. The rains were heavy and visibility was near-zero at mid morning. Wind and rains are expected to continue strong through out the afternoon, as the heaviest part of the storm moved closer to Muscat. Satellite pictures showthat only the outertip of the cyclone had touched Muscat at 1230 pm on Wednesday. People are remaining in doors and waiting for the thunder showers to move away. Pictures from Nasa is frightening to the residents and only heavenly intervention can move the monster twisting away into the gulf of Arabia.

Cyclone Gonu is movingwith sustained winds of more than 90 MPH andis the strongest cyclone in 60 years to hit Oman. On the coast it is churning up 35-foot-high waves and in the interiors it is threatening the oil production units.
Masirah Island has been evacuated as it was was located in the storm's path.
Radio and TV said that a state of emergency was declared in the affected areas, including mobilizing army and police forces to help provide shelter and medical services. More families were also leaving their homes in towns on the mainland on Tuesday, officials said. The government said schools and public building were emptied to make room for the evacuees.
Publicholiday has been declared till sunday.