Muscat – The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning( MHUP) has launched a dedicated electronic service to receive assistance requests from citizens whose homes were affected by the recent weather conditions, a senior official said.

Saeed bin Nasser Al Harasi, Head of the Housing Programmes and Community Partnership Department at the MHUP, said the initiative aims to quickly identify affected households, collect their data and assess damages on the ground in preparation for providing the necessary support.

Al Harasi informed that the ministry had earlier prepared a comprehensive guide for dealing with weather-related emergencies in coordination with several government entities. The guide, which has been officially approved, outlines the roles, responsibilities and procedures to be followed from the onset of a weather event to ensure a rapid response and effective assistance for affected families.

“This framework strengthens the ministry’s role in improving quality of life and ensuring the provision of suitable housing for citizens,” he said.

The service link has been published on the ministry’s official website and social media platforms, allowing affected residents to submit requests electronically by completing the required information and uploading supporting documents.

Applicants can provide personal and housing details and attach documents such as property ownership papers, survey maps and photos of the damage along with the application. A reference number is then issued, enabling applicants to track the status of their case.

Al Harasi said the application window opened on March 29 and will continue until the end of the week, noting that the timeframe was set to expedite the identification and processing of cases while considering the exceptional circumstances some families may face. Citizens can also submit applications by phone or by visiting the Directorates General of Housing and Urban Planning in the governorates.

He added that technical teams from the ministry are currently deployed across the governorates to assess affected homes and submit reports to the committees formed locally.

According to Al Harasi, damage assessments are based on field reports prepared by engineers and technicians who evaluate the severity of the damage, including whether it is total or partial, the structural condition of the dwelling and the extent of impact on the building’s safety.

“The cases include total collapses, partial damage that threatens the safety of the dwelling, and homes that have become uninhabitable or require immediate technical intervention,” he said.

Al Harasi said the ministry’s assistance focuses primarily on housing support, including rebuilding homes after cases are approved by the governorate committees and referred to the relevant authorities for implementation.

He added that technical teams began field visits to affected villages and areas on Monday, reflecting the ministry’s commitment to responding swiftly to reports and assisting families in need.

Al Harasi urged citizens whose homes sustained direct damage and pose a risk to residents to access the service through the ministry’s website or official platforms and submit the required information to facilitate swift assessment and assistance.

Meanwhile, during the adverse weather, search and rescue teams from the Royal Oman Police and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority responded to 269 incident reports, rescuing and evacuating 504 individuals.

The Air Wing of the Royal Oman Police carried out 58 rescue operations, medical evacuations, and supply transport missions, in addition to conducting continuous aerial reconnaissance over areas directly affected by the weather system.

At the same time, the Royal Air Force of Oman conducted six rescue and medical evacuation sorties.