Muscat – Hamoud bin Mohammad al Mandheri, coordinator of Relief and Shelter Sector in the National Committee for Emergency Management (NCEM), has stated that three shelters have been activated in the wilayats of Awabi and Rustaq.

“Heavy rains and overflowing wadis on Sunday and Monday caused some damage, including flooded homes affecting some families. They are being assisted by Royal Oman Police and competent authorities and transferred to safe places,” Mandheri said.

He added that the areas affected by the rains and flooding include Falaj Bani Khazir and Wadi Bani Kharus in the wilayat of Awabi, while in Rustaq, the city centre and Wadi Bani Ghafer were affected. “The shelters in these areas are ready to receive citizens and residents,” he said.

Heavy rains lashed Awabi on Sunday and Monday, which led to overflowing wadis. The road adjacent to the wadi in the Falaj Bani Khazir area – which connects the wilayats of Nakhl and Al Awabi – was disrupted on Monday night when a section of the road collapsed.

Royal Oman Police (ROP) is in a state of high alert to ensure the safety of citizens and residents and has positioned personnel on all roads.

Col Mohammad bin Awadh al Shanfari, Police Commander of South Batinah Governorate, informed that the ROP and other key authorities concerned with emergency management in the governorate have raised the state of alert and readiness in order to reduce damage caused by overflowing wadis.

He said police patrols are alerting all visitors to wadis to leave in anticipation of increasing water levels. “We call on citizens and residents to exercise utmost caution and communicate with the concerned authorities in emergency situations and not risk crossing wadis.”