Muscat: The deep depression in the southeast Arabian Sea has intensified into a cyclone storm called ‘Ashooba’ and is approximately 950 km from the southeast island of Masirah off Oman’s coast.
The cyclone is expected to move northwest of the Arabian Sea in the coming two days, according to the Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA) statement.
Winds at the centre of the depression are currently around 65-74 kmph.
However, the course of the storm can change at anytime, it said.
Heavy rainfall
Heavy rainfall is expected to lash the south coasts of the Sharqiah governorate in the coming 48 hours and the sea will be very rough.
UAE weather: Follow cyclone Ashooba live.
An official at the Public Authority for Civil Defense and Ambulance (PACDA) told Gulf News that they are fully prepared for the cyclone should it reach.
Meanwhile, Khalid Al Jahawari, an expert at Oman’s Meteorology department says he expects Ashooba to weaken as it approaches the Omani coast.
For a 10 day weather forecast, visit the GulfNews.com weather page.
Oman is usually hit with such storms around June and July.
Two major cyclones hit Oman in the past eight years: Cyclone Gonu in June 2007 and Phet in June 2010.
More than 70 people were killed due to the two cyclones and over 4 billion Omani riyals in damage was sustained.
