Omanis Flee Cyclone's Fury

DUBAI, 7 June 2007 - Oman evacuated tens of thousands of people yesterday, suspended oil exports and closed the major port of Sohar as a weakening Cyclone Gonu roared toward the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s major transport artery for oil. Oil prices rose amid forecasts that the strongest storm to threaten the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years was barreling toward Iran.

Saudi Arabia yesterday offered all support to Oman to offset the damage caused by the cyclone, a Royal Court statement said. It said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah was closely following the impact Gonu had left on Oman. “Saudi Arabia will extend the necessary assistance to Oman to reduce the damages caused by the cyclone and alleviate the suffering of its victims,” the statement said.

“Gonu is moving in the expected direction and its center will be shifted from the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian coast beginning this evening,” said Dr. Saad Al-Mehlafi, director general of the National Observation Center of Saudi Arabia’s Presidency for Meteorology and Environment (PME).

Al-Mehlafi downplayed the cyclone’s effect on the Kingdom and reported it would be limited to scattered clouds of high altitude and moderate activity of surface winds, which will be in the northeasterly direction at a speed of 40 km.

The storm, which peaked to a maximum-force Category Five hurricane on Tuesday, was downgraded yesterday to Category One with a maximum sustained wind speed of about 75 mph, the US military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center said.

Speaking to reporters yesterday in Jeddah, Al-Mehlafi said the cyclone might cause sandstorms in Saudi Arabia. He said the PME has warned shipping companies and airlines to take adequate precautions.

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, said the storm was too far away to affect its facilities and its tankers were designed to withstand high seas. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said it would not be affected either. Shipping sources said there had been no disruption of oil tanker transit so far.

Oman’s meteorology department said the storm’s center made landfall in Oman around midnight and was moving northwest to Muscat, bringing torrential rains, strong winds and high waves.

“The eastern region has absorbed most of the impact but we expect the rain to continue tonight and early tomorrow as the cyclone moves northwest over Oman,” director Ahmed Al-Harthi told Reuters. “There could be local rainfall on Friday but it should have dissipated by then.”

An Iranian official said the cyclone was not expected to disrupt oil supplies as its main terminals were inside the Gulf waterway.

In Oman, however, the country’s only outlet for 650,000 barrels per day of crude exports, Mina Al-Fahal, was shut for a second day, as was the Sur terminal that handles 10 million tons per year of liquefied natural gas. All private and public sector institutions, including the stock exchange, were closed until Sunday due to the storm. Oman’s airport was also closed, an airport official said.

“The additional unforeseen holiday has provided us an extended weekend,” said a Muscat resident. “Even though we have to remain indoors it will provide us with quality time with our family.”

Iranian state television said waves had reached six meters high and coastal residents had been told to avoid travel by sea. The United Arab Emirates’ eastern port of Fujairah, in the Gulf of Oman, has been cleared of anchored vessels and was closed yesterday to all ships until further notice, the state news agency said. More than 100 ships are anchored along the Fujairah coastline and around 180 vessels, mainly oil tankers, pass through the area daily.

According to Capt. Musa Morad, director general of Fujairah Port, the closure became necessary having ascertained the danger navigation poses to ships in the areas affected by the cyclone. He said all ships berthing at the port had been evacuated, adding that ships closer to the coast had also been asked to leave the area to a more secure place.

Lt. Commander Marn Balolong, meteorologist on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, which is currently in the Gulf, said it would be unsafe for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the next 48 hours.

Strong winds and heavy rain turned the deserted streets of Muscat into rivers as people heeded warnings to stay at home or shelter in buildings that could withstand strong winds.

“So far we have not confirmed any casualties,” Abdallah Al-Harthi, spokesman for the Oman Relief Committee, told Reuters. “But the power is out and phones are disconnected in many areas so we just don’t know for sure.”

Waves pounded the eastern coast of the UAE and some residents were evacuated. Some panicked as they saw huge waves as high as eight meters, and causing spillage of sea water onto lowlands. No casualties were reported but it caused heavy loss in different parts of Fujairah. Several houses and buildings were flooded.

The UAE’s Crisis Management Team has evacuated hundreds of residents from low-lying areas to temporary shelters in Fujairah and Kalba. Fujairah’s well-known Dana Island was flooded and heavily damaged. Farms and buildings in Al-Sharm, Merbeh and Qidfeh are reported to have been flooded as authorities struggled to cope with fast developing conditions. Police closed down key roads to Kalba. Local authorities have confirmed that the traffic leading to Fujairah was diverted. Roads to Khor Fakkan were also partially closed. Water tanks and trucks carrying sand are working to clean up the flooding. Sandbags were also lined along Kalba Road to block water.

<i>K.T. Abdurabb, Arab News</i>