Missing Omani’s body found

Muscat: The body of a 22-year-old Omani woman, who went missing late on Friday night, was found on Sunday morning in the sea by the Civil Defence teams after searching for more than 36 hours.

“The body of the missing girl was found this morning about seven nautical miles from the shore,” Lieutenant Colonel Khamis Bin Ali from Saham Police Station, said in a statement issued by the Royal Oman Police.

Fayza Bint Rashid Bin Marhoon was with her father and three other siblings when their family car was washed away in flooded Wadi Al Sarmi in the Mukahileef area of Saham.

Strong currents overturned the vehicle and washed it away, according to Lt Col Khamis. He added that the father managed to get three children on top of the vehicle but Fayza, who was in the back seat was pulled out by the strong current that broke the rear door of the vehicle. Nearby residents rescued the father and three siblings and moved them to safety but could not save Fayza.

The Civil Defence teams searched for Fayza in the flooded area using sniffer dogs from the ROP. “The search then was extended to the sea where deep sea divers were called in,” he further said, adding that after identification the body was handed over to her brother.

Some towns in northern Oman experienced heavy rains, but more so in Saham where people had to take shelter at higher places after wadis were flooded. Property losses were also reported by citizens who have taken to social media sites and micro blogging sites to express their anguish.

A lot of mud has come gushing from mountains flooding houses and damaging books, house furniture as well as consumables.

The strong wind with heavy rains has also uprooted trees, brought down hoardings and broken walls of dwellings close to the wadis.