Oman raises caution against tropical storm

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Cairo: Omani authorities have urged the people to exercise caution amid warnings that a tropical storm can affect parts of the sultanate.

“Avoid parking your vehicle in low areas or near wadis during the [poor] weather condition,” the Royal Oman police (ROP) said in an alert to the public. “Taking the risk of crossing wadis is not advisable under such circumstances,” Brig. Mohammed Bin Salam, a ROP public relations official, said.

“There is a deterrent law against taking the risk of crossing the wadis and the ROP will not be lenient with persons putting their lives and those of others at risk,” he told Omani Shabiba FM

Violators are punished by a fine of OMR500 and three months in jail, according to the official.

The ROP said it is prepared to tackle the tropical situation in the Arabian Sea by deploying its forces in all areas expected to be affected to ensure swift response to consequences and stop people from going to risky places.

Police commands in Oman’s different governorates have been put on alert to handle complaints and coordinate with other agencies to restore basic services if they are disrupted by the bad weather.

In its latest alert on Saturday, Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) ruled out direct effects from the weather situation north of the Arabian Sea, off the coasts of Pakistan.

“However, the latest weather chart analysis indicates that there are still chances of isolated rain, and the sea state along the coastal areas of Oman Sea will be moderate with a maximum wave height of 2 metres while the sea is expected to be rough along the Arabian Sea with a maximum wave height of 4 metres,” PACA added in a Twitter statement.