Muscat – A total of 33,687 families were affected by Cyclone Shaheen, 154 of which are still living in houses rented by the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) to shelter them.

According to Hamoud bin Mohammed al Mundhiri, spokesperson of MoSD’s Relief and Shelter Sector, the ministry will pay more than RO25mn to the affected families.

Cyclone Shaheen made landfall in Oman on October 3, 2021, destroying infrastructure, livelihoods, farms and homes. Concerted government efforts and the solidarity of the people of Oman, spearheaded by volunteer teams from every corner of the country, helped mitigate the sufferings of most of those hit by the cyclone.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Mundhiri informed that specialists of MoSD have studied the situation of 33,687 families in the wilayats directly affected by the cyclone in the governorates of North and South Batinah. “The study determined the scale of damage caused to their homes as a result of the cyclone in order to provide funds to rebuild and restore lives in the wilayats of Saham, Suwaiq, Khabourah and Musannah.”

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has approved the building of new houses for 328 families, while specialists of MoSD provided urgent assistance to 16,779 families whose homes were affected by the cyclone.

MoSD’s ongoing efforts to rehabilitate cyclone victims include re-evaluation of damages to family homes, providing rent for suitable housing to the displaced and providing home appliances in coordination with charities, including Oman Charitable Organisation.

MoSD provided shelters to 5,353 families immediately after the cyclone. “While most have returned to their homes, currently 154 families still remain in houses rented by the ministry in the four wilayats. The ministry pays RO15,985 in monthly rent for these houses,” Mundhiri said.

“The ministry registered 14,580 partially damaged homes and paid RO500 to each of these. Payments are continuing to be made to some remaining families. The ministry paid a total of RO16,779,000 to those whose houses were completely damaged by the cyclone.”

MoSD will give RO25,089,000 in all to Shaheen victims – both partially and severely affected by it.