Cyclones In Oman

Over time Oman had been exposed to many cyclones. The most recent of these was the Cyclone Gonu. This cyclone hit the coast of Oman in 2007. It was so big that it was classified as a Super Cyclonic Storm, and was classified as a category 5 cyclone, making it one of the biggest to ever hit Oman. It is also tied as the strongest to ever hit the Indian Ocean. It hit the coasts on June 3rd with winds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph).


Intense cyclones like Gonu have been extremely rare over the Arabian Sea, as most storms in this area tend to be small and dissipate quickly. The cyclone caused about $4 billion in damage and nearly 80 deaths in Oman. The cyclone was considered the worst natural disaster to ever hit the nation, and the worst to ever hit the Arabian Sea.

Gonu dropped heavy rainfall near the eastern coastline, reaching up to 610 mm (24 inches), which caused flooding and heavy damage. In Iran, the cyclone caused 23 deaths and $215 million in damage.



http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2897485n

The Muscat International Airport in Muscat, Oman reopened after three days of closure. The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates reopened on June 7 after it was closed the day before. The cyclone caused little impact to oil facilities along its path, and as a result oil prices dropped over US $2 per barrel.

In Oman, production of desaltinated water was interrupted, as both of Oman's desalination plants failed. The first, Ghubrah, lost supplies of natural gas, halting production; while the second, Barka, sustained a damaged switchgear due to flooding. These plants provided water to Muscat's 631,000 residents and surrounding areas, triggering severe water shortages across eastern Oman.

To rectify the situation, officials emptied water tanks. The water returned to near normal in five days, as the two plants returned to service. Around 20,000 people were said to have been affected in this cyclone, many of whom lost their homes and belongings.