Dubai: After drenching vast swathes of Oman for nearly 10 days, the ridge of low pressure behind the country’s unprecedented wet weather spell finally lost steam, while unstable weather continued in parts of Saudi Arabia.
Weather forcasts show that the situation in Saudi Arabia may ease late today (Friday) but rainfall may resume tomorrow (Saturday).
Several villages in Saudi Arabia were evacuated Wednesday after a dam partially collapsed due to heavy rains.
Heavy rains since last Thursday have left 16 people dead, including a five-year-old boy.
On Wednesday, the Saudi civil defence confirmed that the Saudi government evacuated several villages in Tabalah city, 689 km from capital Riyadh, as a precaution.
The civil defence and other government departments have been on alert since Thursday, advising the public to follow instructions and stay indoors if possible.
Many in the kingdom tweeted about roads being cut off or submerged by waters, while others sent alerts about possible dangers to their followers. Authorities urged all residents to exercise caution and not to underestimate the dangers of the rains or floods.
In Abha, all public offices and schools were shut down for the first time in the country’s history. In the Taif area, 10 rescue teams made remarkable efforts to evacuate 496 people by air. Reports said that more than 80 farms and large garden were damaged. Electricity was cut off in several towns and villages and schools were shut to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
In the Eastern Province, people reported heavy damage to the infrastructure while road traffic was disrupted.
In Oman metrorological officials predicted more isolated rains today (Friday), but these are likely to be limited to the mountainous Hajar region and some surrounding areas.
On Wednesday, lakes emerged in the arid wilderness of Oman’s Dhahirah and Dakhiliya regions as thunderstorms unleashed more rain across the northern half of the country, sending water levels in recharge dams and reservoirs soaring.
In the Saham district of North Al Batinah, a tide of floodwater from Wadi Al Humaira inundated nearby homes, prompting the evacuation of around 50 families by the emergency services. A statement issued by the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) said the evacuees have been housed in schools in Saham town. A number of people were also rescued from their vehicles marooned in flooded wadis elsewhere around the country.
If Oman’s bad weather did cost lives — eight deaths to date — and disrupt normal lives, it also made a significant contribution to the country’s usually precarious groundwater situation. Monitoring stations at the country’s network of recharge dams and reservoirs reported hefty increases in water levels during the past week. Wadi Dayqah, the Sultanate’s largest dam and a major tourist attraction, saw volumes soar to 87.5 million cubic metres, just shy of the reservoir’s capacity of 100 million cubic metres.
- With inputs from Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief, and IANS
