Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources released data on the distribution and total amount of rain that fell in the Sultanate from July 5 to July 9.
With 157 mm of precipitation, Dima Wattayeen topped the list of the governorates in the country, followed by Taqah with 142 mm.
Rustaq came third, with 113 mm of rainfall.
Several Omani districts have seen moderate to heavy downpours over the past few days due to the area being impacted by unpredictable weather conditions brought on by the Monsoon depression.
The northern Indian depression, Monsoon, hit the governorates of Oman resulting in massive showers and torrential rains.
The Oman Civil Aviation Authority’s Directorate General of Meteorology had issued a warning that the wave will exacerbate on July 10, with persistent rain in the governorates of North Al Sharqiah, Al Dakhiliyah, Dhofar, Al Wusta, and Al Dhahirah, as well as heavy water flow in several valleys.
Several areas of Al Wusta, particularly the area to the north of Haima, experienced varying amounts of precipitation.
Rain of varying intensity fell on parts of Al Badiya (the Eastern Desert), as well as the Dhofar Governorate’s mountainous and coastal areas.
Waterfalls fell in Wadi Darbat, Ayn Athum, and Ayn Hamran due to the flow of water in the valleys. Meanwhile, waterfalls tumbled over the mountain heights.
The Royal Oman Police shut down traffic in Aqab-Hashir, Mirbat, due to mudslides and rocks on the road.
Additionally, residential neighborhoods in Salalah saw large amounts of water accumulate on secondary roads. In addition, the Dhofar Municipality dealt with heavy rains by suctioning out excess water in some areas.
Moreover, Al Mudhaibi experienced the most rainfall since the effects of the depression emerged. The rain lasted nearly two hours continuously and in great abundance, concentrating on valleys heads, resulting in floods in Wadi Andam in Bani Daffa and valleys such as Al-Rawda, Wadi Daad, along with a number of reefs.
The search and rescue teams from the Civil Defense and Ambulance Department in the North Al Batinah Governorate reported that torrents in Wadi Ahin in Sohar resulted in three people who are still missing.
Videos posted by social media users show that two children, one of whom is 9 years old and the other is probably around 10, were killed in the Al Sarh neighborhood in the Wilayat of Rustaq in water gatherings. Circulated videos show the heavy flow of torrents across various valleys in the country as a result of the severe rainstorms. A 6-year-old child who drowned in Wadi Bani Awf in the Wilayat of Rustaq was found dead and dragged out by the locals.
Rescue operations for those being stranded in homes and valleys are ongoing. In the Wilayat of Ibra in the North Sharqiyah Governorate. A man also saved the lives of two children who have been swept away in torrential rains in the Wilayat of Ibra in the North Sharqiyah Governorate.
The Amman Police Department also announced the death of an Asian expatriate who has been swept away in a valley in the Wilayat of Al Hamra in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. The man’s body was recovered by Civil Defense and Ambulance Authority rescue teams in the previous hours.
The final death toll remains unclear.
