Lessons learnt from Gonu.

Lessons learnt from Gonu, the cyclone.

1. Life is Short.

2. Family is more important than work.

3. Eat when food is available and it tastes better when shared.
4. Global warming is a reality. Climate changes.

5. Nature is powerful, Unpredictable.

6. Water is precious and very vicious.

7. We all have similar needs and but not similar fate.

8. Money is worth only when it is usable.

9. Information is more than money.

10. Time is the most precious thing and life is linked to it some how.

11. Very basic things in life are air, water, food, and shelter.

12. We can live without A.C, Gas, electricity, car and phone.

13. Nothing remains guaranteed in life; Every thing can change in a day.

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LOST CITY OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS:
THE STORM THAT DESTROYED THE CITY OF UBAR .

Shisr in Oman is believed to be part of the site of the Lost City of Ubar, the Atlantis of the Sands. It is about 85 kilometers north-east from Thumrayt mostly by graded road. The tale of the lost city of Ubar has for centuries been one of the Middle East’s greatest mysteries. Subject of countless Bedouin tales, Ubar was even mentioned in The One Thousand and One Nights, while Lawrence of Arabia called it "the Atlantis of the Sands". Most importantly, there is a reference to the city in the Holy Quran where, due to its imposing architecture, Ubar was referred to as Irem That Al Emad, the "city of towers".

Ubar is believed to have been the Omanum Emporiam, Wabar, Ubar or the mythical lost city in "Arabian Nights" . Omanum Emporiam was first mentioned in about 200 AD by Arabian geographers when it was described as a major market town in the "Empty Quarter" and at the crossroads for the frankincense trade. Irem That Al Emad mentioned in the Holy Quran 400 years later was a city of doom because of its sinful ways. It was believed to have been built by King Shaddad bin Ad to recreate his idea of paradise, where he gathered gold, silver, pearls, amber and other precious things to make a city of beauty.
The city was left crumbled and buried beneath the sands of the desert when God sent a great wind to destroy the corruption of wealth and delights of the flesh of the people of Ad.

The discovery of the city at Shisr came as a result of scientific research and sheer accident. In the early 1990's archaeologists launched a major expedition to find the lost city. See the photo below showing the hole into which the city was sucked in by the curse.

Then consider how the people of 'Ad and their city of Ubar was destroyed. The ancient scriptures clearly states:
"And the 'Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind,exceedingly violent;

He made it rage against them seven nights and eight days in succession: so that thou couldst see all the people lying prostrate in its path, as they had been roots of hollow palm-trees tumbled down!

Then seest thou any of them left surviving"

"Seest thou not How thy Lord dealt with the people of 'Ad - of the city of Iram, with lofty pillars, the like of which were not produced in all the land?”
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On the right is the sketch made after the excavations in 1990 of the lost city of the Arabian nights and it was few 100 kms from Muscat!

Ubar was once a city bustling with life. King Shadad of Ad built the city some five millennia ago and it quickly became a thriving commercial centre. The secret to Ubar’s prosperity was frankincense – a commodity as precious as gold. It was one of the main trading points on the frankincense route, the city saw caravans transporting shipments of the sap to Alexandria, Jerusalem, Damascus, Rome, and China. The King was trying to recreate his idea of paradise in the city. A cyclonic storm unleashed its fury and the city was left crumbled and buried beneath the sands of the desert when God destroyed the corrupt and their wealth and delights of the flesh of the people of Ad. Only a hole in the barren desert remains !!

On the site, the group of scientists found glass vessels and incense burners, dating back to the era between 1000 BC and the Islamic era 900-1400 AD, as well as pieces of Greek, Roman and Syrian pottery, the oldest of which was more than 4,000 years old.

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Current News

During the cyclone Gono, unprecedented levels of rains all over the Sultanate were recorded registering the highest rainfall in Sharqiya region at around 950 millimetres of rain which is four times the annual average.

The highest amount of rain received in 24 hours, was also registered in Al Jabal Al Asfar station in Sharqiya region, which reached 842 millimetres. Thirteen reserve dams across the Sultanate, received more than 37,9 million cubic metres of water that exceeded the capacity of these dams and created wadis and water streams.

The desalination plant supplying water to Oman's capital regained most of its production capacity, easing a water shortage. Water and electricity was restored to most of Muscat.

The government also set up a donations fund with a grant of seven million riyals. Two relief camps are set up at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex at Baushar and at the Mohanna Bin Sultan School. Over 1,000 people are being provided shelter and food at these camps.