Muscat: Two more Omanis lost their lives in heavy rains that has been lashing the country for the past three days.
One person was killed after he was struck by lightning in Mudhaibi province Wednesday morning, according to Royal Oman Police (ROP). Another person was swept away by floodwaters in a wadi in the same province on Tuesday.
The total deathtoll in the three days of bad weather stood at three.
40 people who were trapped in flooded wadis across the country were rescued by the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA).The heavy rain caused traffic snarls, cut electricity supplies to several areas and caused substantial damage to property across the country.
Many roads that link provinces such as Nizwa, Ibri, Ibra, Izki, Bahla, Rustaq, Mudhaibi, Dima wa Tayeen, Mahdah, Sinanah and Nakhal in the north were flooded.
Mohammad Al Shamsi, a Samayil resident, told Gulf News most of his furniture was damaged, as well as his livestock and crops.Electricity poles were knocked down in Ibri, Masanah and Rustaq provinces in the strong winds accompanying the rain.
In Muscat, major traffic congestion was reported in Al Khoudh, Khuwair, Muscat Expressway and Seeb due to trees that were knocked down on the roads.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Education suspended classes in all schools in Oman on both Wednesday and Thursday, except for those in Dhofar and Wusta governorates.
Most of the dams nationwide were full due to the rains, said an official at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources. The official said there was no cause for concern as all the dams are under closely monitored by specialists.
An official at Oman Airport Management Company told Gulf News that flights at the Muscat International Airport were on schedule so far.
The latest satellite images and weather charts reveal the depression is likely to continue until Friday. Many parts of Samayil were covered with snow on Tuesday. It went viral in the social media.
A picture of two young Omanis organising traffic at a broken traffic signal in Khuwair district of Muscat went viral on social media during the rains. Social media users thanked the Omanis for their initiative to lend a helping hand for the road users.
