Cyclone Phet kills 12 in Oman: civil defence

MUSCAT: Cyclone Phet killed 12 people and left one missing in Oman before moving towards Pakistan, the head of Oman’s civil defence force said on Saturday.

One of those killed was a Pakistani citizen, said General Malek al-Muammari.

Authorities said Phet had weakened in intensity on Friday before heading towards Pakistan at wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour.

The situation in Oman appeared to be returning to normal on Saturday. An AFP correspondent said that the rain had stopped and skies were relatively clear over Muscat and in most of the affected areas on Oman’s eastern coast.

Rescue teams were working to reopen roads, restore electricity and repair water mains damaged by floodwaters, Muammari said in a statement carried by ONA.

Before the cyclone, the Omani authorities had taken several precautionary measures, evacuating hotels along the east coast and airlifting residents of vulnerable areas to safer places.

The islanders were beginning to return on Saturday, Muammari said on state television.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2010.