Cyclone Phet eases, moves away from Masirah -Wind at centre weakened from 140 km/hr to 110 km/hr and Heavy rain forecasted.

MUSCAT — Lt Gen Malik bin Sulaiman al Maamari, Inspector-General of Police and Customs and head of the National Committee for Civil Defence (NCCD) has said the force of the Cyclone Phet has eased and it’s path has taken a
diversion to the right of Masirah and overtook the island. “And that is a source of satisfaction.”
In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), he said the cyclone is now moving eastward towards the Sharqiyah Region and will affect the number of wilayats including the Wilayat of Sur.
He said the cyclone weakened after the speed of the wind in its centre reduced from 140 km/hour to 110 km/hr. However, he said warnings have not changed specially in the Sharqiyah region, Muscat Governorate, Dhakhliyah Region, Dhahirah region and Al Buraimi Governorate as heavy rains are expected to fall in these areas causing wadi flows.
Meanwhile, coastal communities along the entire eastern seaboard of the Sultanate, extending from Sur to Duqm, yesterday steeled themselves for a potentially deadly pounding from Cyclone Phet as it hurtled towards Oman.
The Category 2 storm, packing winds of 140 kilometres per hour at its centre, is predicted to slam into the Sultanate’s east coast between Masirah Island and Ras al Hadd early this morning. Besides unleashing thunderstorms and gale-force winds, the cyclone will spark powerful storm surges at various places along the Sharqiyah, the Directorate General of Meteorology and Air Navigation (DGMAN) warned here yesterday.
Emergency services led by the National Committee for Civil Defence (NCCD), meanwhile, ramped up their alert level as Cyclone Phet continued to speed towards Oman. As part of a huge emergency operation that was launched early on Wednesday, the government pressed ahead with its evacuation of people from vulnerable areas, while prepositioning essential supplies and personnel in villages and towns at risk of being cut off in the event of severe flooding.
In what appears to be a weakening of its potency, Phet was downgraded from a Category 3 storm.
According to DGMAN’s latest statement, Phet was centred in an area west of the Arabian Sea 20 degrees North and 59 degrees East. Its centre was placed some 70 kilometres east of Masirah Island.
The cyclone is projected to travel parallel to the coastline at Masirah at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour. The eye of the storm is forecast to make landfall sometime this morning somewhere between Masirah Island and Ras al Hadd, with storm surges powered by three-metre waves likely along the Sharqiyah coast.
Convective clouds associated with the cyclone’s massive girth are forecast to trigger thundershowers accompanied by strong winds in Muscat and Buraimi governorates and the Batinah and Interior regions as well. The wet and unsettled conditions are expected to prevail during the next 24 hours, DGMAN stated.
The National Committee of Civil Defence broadcast warnings by SMS urging citizens and residents to “exercise extreme caution, stay away from the sea and wadis during the unusual weather conditions and to follow safety guidelines”. Fishermen and seafarers have been strictly warned against venturing out to sea.
Heavy showers accompanied by winds of up to 110 kilometres per hour lashed Masirah and parts of the Sharqiyah region yesterday as Cyclone Phet bore down on the Oman coast.
Meanwhile, at the behest of the National Committee for Civil Defence, which oversees all civil emergencies and natural disasters in the Sultanate, health authorities in the Sharqiyah region were placed on ‘high alert’ ahead of Phet’s arrival. Doctors and paramedical staff in all major disciplines were asked to hold off all non-essential travel over the weekend, and to remain in a state of readiness, an official at Sur Hospital said. “All key departments have been told to have a section of their emergency staff on call and the others to stand-by should their services be required at short notice,” the official told the Observer by telephone from Sur.
Also at Sur, health officials scrambled to ensure there were enough hospital beds to cater to any medical emergencies arising out of the unfolding weather crisis. An Ops Centre was also set up at the local health centre to oversee all health-related emergencies arising out of Tropical Cyclone Phet’s much-anticipated potentially destructive brush past the Sultanate’s eastern seaboard.
Unlike, Masirah and the Ras al Hadd coastal stretch of the Sharqiya region, which was the focus of a major overnight evacuation exercise in the run-up to Phet’s approach, the bustling town of Sur was relatively calm, say residents. “Although people are generally unnerved about what the cyclone has in store for them, we’re not seeing any mass-scale exodus of the kind that was reported by local media elsewhere along the Sharqiya coast,” an ENT specialist said.
At Masirah, several thousands of people joined the exodus from the island on Wednesday, heeding advisories from authorities to relocate to safer areas. Masirah Island, along with the Ras al Hadd – Ras Madrakah coastal belt, is expected to face the brunt of Phet’s ferocity.
The few residents who have decided to stay put on the island have been warned that the storm will make an appearance early today, between 4 and 7 in the morning.
Relief flights operated by the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) and Oman Air ferried several thousand people to safety in dozens of sorties undertaken during the course of Wednesday. The vast majority were brought to Muscat. Civil Defence authorities arranged to provide temporary accommodation to families that could not find alternative lodgings for the duration of the cyclone crisis. Companies that have employees working areas lying in the path of the cyclone, have moved their staff to hotels and lodgings in Muscat and elsewhere, it is learnt.
Ferries were also pressed into service to enable scores of people to flee the island for the safety of villages and towns on the mainland. Sinaw and Sur were popular destinations for significant numbers of evacuees leaving by ferry and road.
In order to cater to the throngs of evacuees, car owners were told to leave their vehicles behind at the jetty at Masirah Island. Parking lots at Masirah air base as well were chockfull with cars left behind by their owners as they boarded relief flights out
of the island.
Also joining the exodus from the island were guests staying at Masirah’s recently launched tourist landmark — Swiss Belhotel Resort Masirah Island. Although many of the guests were keen to stay put and sit out the storm, they eventually checked out on the advice of authorities who had warned that the island sits virtually at ‘ground zero’ on the storm’s path.
A majority of the hotel’s 25-member staff too boarded flights to Muscat late on Wednesday, leaving the property in the hands of a small, core team of senior colleagues who decided to stay back to secure the hotel from Phet’s anticipated onslaught.
“Five of us volunteered to stay behind, not only to look after the property, but also to be able to help the people of Masirah should our services be required during the cyclone,” said Joe Coelho, General Manager. “The Royal Oman Police are happy to see that a small team is staying on keep an eye on things. Senior executives from the hotel’s owners, Omran, too have been in constant touch with us to make sure that all’s well at our end.”
The beachfront Swiss Belhotel Resort, which overlooks the Arabian Sea, is a magnet for tourists at this time of year attracted by a range of windsurfing and water sports activities available on the island. Turtle nesting is also a major attraction on the island.
In anticipation of a pounding from Cyclone Phet, the staff moved all loose fixtures and furniture indoors, said Coelho. “We were also advised by the ROP not to be anywhere near glass windows when the storm hits, given the likelihood of shattering panes causing injuries. At the critical time, we will be shifting to the safety of secure rooms within the hotel.”
Coelho, joined by colleagues Arun Kumar (Financial Controller), Rajendra Singh (Chef), Benedict Fernandes (Front Office Manager), and Bonny M (Cook), took turns to keep vigil overnight on Wednesday, as well as to oversee preparations for Phet’s arrival on the Sultanate’s eastern seaboard early on Friday.
“We anticipate the storm passing over Masirah Island during the 4 to 7am timeframe early on Friday, peaking at 6am or so. Accordingly, we have decided to turn in early today (Thursday), and to be up well before the storm hits. We are keeping our fingers crossed that all will eventually be well,” Coelho told the Observer.
Further south at Al Ashkarah, officials at Al Askharah Youth Hostel, a popular getaway for families and tourists, decided to temporarily shut down the facility in anticipation of the cyclone. “We decided not to take any chances and advised all the guests to evacuate. They checked out yesterday, followed by the Omani staff and finally the expatriate staff. The weather situation too has been deteriorating during the day, with spells of heavy showers, strong winds, and rising sea waves,” said Eugene M Joseph, Operations Manager.
The government-owned tourist facility sits on Al Ashkarah’s beachfront overlooking the Arabian Sea. Overcast skies and heavy rains have prompted the majority of the town’s residents to leave for the safety of the hinterland. Neighbouring towns Jaalan Bani Bu Ali and Jaalan Bani Bu Hassan have been absorbing the influx from Al Ashkarah.
Meanwhile, private sector organisations e-mailed appeals to their staff to take all necessary precautions. One message read: “Conserve water and ensure you have sufficient drinking water, food, torches, and a radio set (including extra batteries) for your safety, should power supply be interrupted by the impact of the cyclone.”
According to Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al Najashi, a resident of Sur, the day began with mild showers and balmy conditions, but degenerated into severe weather later in the evening as a heavy downpour pounded the city. Streets were flooded as a result. “Visibility was reduced to less than 10 metres to the point that one could not see a thing, without the aid of headlights.
In some low lying places, access was possible only to four-wheel drive vehicles. Likewise, telecommunications was slightly affected with frequent interruptions and access to the internet was completely cut off,” said Al Najashi.
Outages were also reported in Al Ashkarah and some surrounding areas.
In Muscat Governorate, bottled water suppliers reported brisk sales as residents scrambled to stock up on essentials. Authorities also requisitioned water supplies for dispatch to areas targeted by Cyclone Phet.