OMAN: 4 killed as rains unleash chaos; rescue operations on

Thu, 25 April 2013

By Kabeer Yousuf — MUSCAT — Four lives were lost to the torrential rains that submerged several parts of the country while the rescue operations by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) are full-fledged as more rains are expected today and tomorrow in various wilayats across the country.
“An infant, two youngsters aged 14 and 16, and a 60-year-old man were washed away when the wadis overflowed after the incessant rains inundated parts of various wilayats”, Lt Col Hamad al Hamadi, Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) told the Observer.

“Their bodies were found after the scouring operations of PACDA with the support of the civilians”. He added that several others who dared the wadis during the rains were rescued while a number of vehicles were washed away. ROP successfully rescued a woman surrounded by overflowing wadi in Muscat, as well as, a man in Ibri. A family of 8 had a dramatic escape in Saham in Northern Batinah when their house was surrounded by rising flashfloods but they lost a one-year-old baby from the mother’s hands. The baby’s body was found later.
“The department has deployed several choppers to aid rescue operations in areas which are deeply affected. Five Rotary helicopters were arrayed over the air space of the Sultanate to speed up the operations of search, rescue and transfer of emergency cases. One of them is placed in Sohar and the others are in Nizwa, and elsewhere. One of the helicopters successfully transferred a pregnant woman in the Wilayat of Yankul to Ibri hospital”, Lt Col Hamad added.

In Ibri, 41 girl students of Ibri College of Applied Sciences had a narrow escape when the bus they were travelling was caught up in flashfloods post 2 pm yesterday. Their bus was overturned as the driver lost control in the gushing water. They were rescued by the Civil Defence and local people and were said to have no injuries. At 4.15 pm the Civil Defence received an emergency call from Wilayat Dank when three families and their vehicles were surrounded by water in a valley. The rescue officers swung into action and were safely sent home.
Trees and huge billboards were seen scattered here and there. The Defence Wing came live on radio and was updating motorists of potential dangers ahead at different areas while they were behind the wheels. Al Nahdha Hospital was partly affected as the deep gorge right in the front overflowed. Several patients were shifted to either Khoula Hospital or Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH).
“We have shifted the acute emergency cases to other hospitals including Khoula Hospital and SQUH. We wouldn’t be admitting emergency patients while critical cases will be attended to by our doctors today and tomorrow”, Dr Mahmood al Rahbi, Head of Emergency Department told the Observer.
Heavy rains due to a low pressure system being built over the Sultanate coupled with strong winds have also made the seas rough. Onlookers reported that several flying objects damaged the parked vehicles at various parts of the city. Traffic on the Rumaila Street in Wattayah was completely stopped due to a huge ready-to-fall billboard from the BLS building near Volkswagen showroom. ROP officials also stopped vehicles from entering the Shatti Qurum Beach road as part of precautions in the afternoon.