Kalba/Fujairah/Khor Fakkan: Authorities said no casualties or damage were reported on Thursday as the east coast remained on alert in the wake of cyclone Ashobaa that swept up strong winds and waves in the neighbouring Oman Sea.
The tropical storm, which is expected to be downgraded to a depression should it reach land Oman, has been closely followed by UAE authorities, media and residents.
The National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) had tweeted shortly before 3pm on Thursday that the cyclone was centred almost 160km from the south eastern region of Oman. No updates were available on its position by the time of going to press on Thursday.
The NCMS on Wednesday had said there would be no direct effect of the tropical storm on the UAE. In its forecast made on Thursday – for Friday and Saturday – the NCMS made no mention of Ashobaa, expecting “moderate winds in general” that could be “moderate to rough at times in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea”.
A senior official urged residents not to spread or believe unofficial reports about Ashooba’s impact on the UAE. Lieutenant Colonel Dr Saeed Al Hassani, director of media and public relations department of Fujairah Police, urged all community members to avoid rumours doing the rounds on social media.
He told Gulf News that there were a number of cyclone videos posted on Twitter said to be Ashobaa in the UAE but they were actually of past cyclones in another country. Al Hassani asked people to call 999 for any enquiries. He called on members of the public to exercise caution and to monitor weather conditions from official sources and avoid going to the beach.
Fujairah Police as well as other departments are on standby in case of any emergency, he added. The effect of the cyclone will only be high waves, he said. “WE are ready for any emergency,” Al Hassani went on to say.
On Wednesday, a team from the Ministry of Interior specialised in rescue operations in case of floods arrived in Fujairah.
Meanwhile in Kalba, Colonel Abdullah Mubarak Bin Amer, Deputy Commander in Chief of Sharjah Police, said the situation was under control and officials were prepared to handle any emergencies.
“[On Wednesday] the sea waves entered the corniche and roads causing traffic jams, but we managed to regulate the traffic till the municipality tankers pumped the water and cleaned the road. Then the road opened again for traffic,” Col Bin Amer added.
Col Bin Amer said the situation is “not alarming” and they are in contact with the NCMS to receive the latest updates on the situation.
Also, Saeed Al Naqbi, chairman of Kalba Municipal Council, said that they are working on setting up wave-breakers on Kalba beach to protect the city from strong currents should they return. However, a repeat of Wednesday’s relatively rougher weather is not expected.
There were no signs or reports of injuries or damage during a Gulf News sweep of Kalba, Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Dibba on Thursday. The skies had cleared up a little before Thursday noontime, allowing the fierce summer sun to spike temperatures again. It was business as usual for the four settlements on the east coast; some residents even headed to the beach for surfing and leisure, despite warnings to avoid the beach.
