Muscat: A forecast of light rain over Muscat has sent residents in a tizzy with fresh rumours of cyclonic rain spreading like wildfire but a top meteorological official called the rumours 'unfounded'.
"It is only gossip and totally unfounded," Ahmad Al Harthi, Director at the Department of Meteorology, told Gulf News yesterday while reacting to rumours doing the rounds in town about another spell of heavy rain that could deluge Muscat. The city is still recovering from the devastation caused by Cyclone Gonu.
"We have forecast rain but in the mountain ranges in the interior and in the southern parts of the country; it happens every year," Al Harthi said.
"[Residents of Muscat] may see lightning for another couple of days but lightnings accompanies rain in the eastern Central and Western mountain ranges," he said.
Al Harthi urged people not to panic. "If there's any threat we will give enough warning like we did last time," he assured.
What added fuel to the rumours was an alert sounded by the Health Ministry. "We have been told to stay in Muscat and available for 24 hours as the ministry has raised the alert from green to yellow," a Health Ministry staff told Gulf News on condition of anonymity.
A spokesman for the National Committee for Civil Defence (NCCD) denied that the overall alert has been raised. "The situation is normal; these are rumours," Lieutenant Colonel Azhar Al Kindy, a member of NCCD, told Gulf News yesterday.
Your comments
Oman has yet to recover from the Gonu storm, another similar calamity is likely to cause havoc.
Abdulwahab
Muscat,Oman
Posted: June 24, 2007, 14:02
If you check the BBC regular weather update for the next four days you can see that there is a cyclone in formation. It just passed the Indian coast and is forwarding towards Iran etc. but not in the direction of Oman or the UAE. But, if there is a sudden change in the direction, it can come through also.
Paul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 24, 2007, 12:06
Whatever may happen we are all prepared to face anything. We can't run away from nature?s fury and by the grace of god, we all would be safe.
Santhosh
Seeb,Oman
Posted: June 24, 2007, 10:09
It is indeed true that rumours are spreading across the city of a possible heavy rainfall in Muscat area. Though there is no official announcement, people started talking about this since a week ago. Some email messages even say "be prepared to have sand sacks to block rain waters from entering your house. It is expected to rain heavily on Monday night." Appreciate an official clarification on this.
Ramachandran
Ruwi,Oman
Posted: June 24, 2007, 08:17
