Muscat: Oman was recovering on Sunday after medium and heavy thunder and hailstorms lashed the northern provinces of the country on Saturday.
Seven Omanis were rescued by the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) after their vehicles were swept away by flooding wadis, but until Sunday there were no reports of casualties.
The provinces of Barka, Khaboura and Musana were hit by a heavy hailstorm which lasted for more than two hours. Some properties were damaged from the ice. Flooding in wadis in the Batina, Buraimi, Dahira and Dhakliya governorates led to the closing of some roads including the main road to the UAE in Sohar.
On Sunday, the road was reopened after local authorities drained the water. Dr Ahmad Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communication, tweeted that construction work on the Falaj Al Qabayil flyover caused flooding and traffic snarls in the area.
The military music show in the Royal Opera House Muscat was canceled on Saturday due to the weather conditions.
Meanwhile, temperatures drastically dipped in the northern parts of Oman due to the rainfall and the onset of winter season. The cooler weather has helped revive tourism after an influx of visitors was witnessed this month.
Saif Said is a journalist based in Muscat
