16 Dead And More Missing In Muscat Flood!!

[AL_NAAMANI]

I was quite shocked to learn this morning that 16 people died and more are still missing for Mondays rain in Muscat and around Oman.I was just wondering if there are any issues that need to be addressed so that next time we have such rain,the number of dead can be reduced.
There was also the issue of the Omantel tower being hit by lightening and communications being lost for most of the day.Should they not be a back-up for this?
Another thing I would like to know if anyone was caught in the rain?How did they get home?My mum was invited out for dinner at a relatives and she ended up spending the night there cos of the barrage.

[Smile]

Yeah that was sad news indeed.

At the time rain started I was out for dinner, it took me 1 hr to reach home while it should have been only 15mins. I was really frighted, I have to stop everynow and then since the vision was not clear eventhough the wipers were ON.

[Ghetto_Thugin]

The wadi between CCC and al araimi wuz fillled .. and apparently the wadi pulled in a truck .. the driver died instantly .. and two other bodies were found later on at night.

[Dabdoob_Al_Helwa]

<img src="/threads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> It was really frightening! My house got flooded so I was up with my parents until around 1:30, using towels to soak up the water. My AC in my room got totally damaged so i had to sleep in my sisters room!
The wadi which is just before the ABA school in al khuwair had a new road built across it but that road no longer exists...it has been broken in half...just drive by there and check it out!
Alot of the big palm trees in shatti al qurum next to the hyatt were totally uplifted from the ground!!!!!!!!! Very scarey thought knowing that these trees are very heavy and imagine standing there at that time - DAMN!!!!

[Special]

Ohh Dont remind me. I was on my way back home when the rain started. I was in Alghubrah, when little drops started and by the time i got to Alathaibah I could see nothing at all. Its like everything started all of a sudden. Cars could not drive over 40, am really amazed on how i was able to drive under that heavy rain. I was scared, really scared. Called my parents at once, thinking it might be the last time I'd talk to them,eheheheheheh. Just kidding. I just needed to infrom them that I'd be late.

But the strange thing is when i passed the airport, the road was completely DRY!!! There wasnt a drop of rain. Its like moving to a different country!!!

But it started raining there half an hour later.

Although driving under the rain was so scary, I ENJOYED it big time <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[Invincible]

Gosh, this takes me back to the horrible storm where we lost a lot of lives by the heavy rain in '91 or so - I cant remember which year.

[Dark Angel]

Invinci,

I think it was '91 - I was in 5th grade at the time... There was also one in '94 or '95...

I heard about this rain from my Dad. It was that bad huh? I also heard about those 16 people who lost their lives! That's terrible!

It sucks that people had to die. Muscat's streets are not prepared for floods at all.

The school I went to was in Al-Khodh and there were many times when the side-street right before the school would be too flooded for us to cross and we'd have to turn back and take another 40-60 mins to get home.

But Muscat looks amazing when it rains. I wish I was there. It's been SO long since I've seen thunder and lightning in Oman. Wow.

[AL_NAAMANI]

Yes I agree with u chichi.the roads are not prepared for the rain.Even the houses are bulit not taking into consideration the rain.Well we all know Oman is a sunny and hot country but I think some precautions should be taken to avoid the sad circumstances that occured 2 days ago.

It happens every year. People die because of the floods and everyone watches.

Does anyone know if the Muscat Municipality is doing anything?

[muscatplatypus]

I suppose there is only so much they can do. There are drains by the side of the road, and they mark the wadis. The markers at the side of the road are there for a reason, yet, when we were driving home the other day, the water was up to the red, and we turned round, and found another way home, yet there were saloon cars still attempting to make it through. We were in a 4 wheel drive and didn't attempt it! When people realise that machines actually aren't a match for nature is when the death rate will fall.

As far as damage to my house, I was like Queen Canute, trying to turn back the tide!! There was water coming in under my front door, as we live at bottom of a hill. I had about an inch and a half of water over my living room carpet and spent the evening trying to sweep it out. I then had to try and sand bag my front door <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

When I rang my sister in the Uk to tell her, she laughed and said I was the only person she knew who could come to the Middle East and get flooded out <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Now I just have to live with the smell of drying carpet, which is very similar to the smell of wet dogs lol.

By the way, Nizwa had 66 millimetres of rain in 12 hours according to BBC weather

[Jinan]

Ok it has started again... the same lightning, thunder , rain and wind... i have been busy putting on towels on our windows and doors... i hated it when our has water flooding into it.. everything ends up stinking big time ewwwwww <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

[AL_NAAMANI]

Yeah Jinan,
I just got a phone call from Muscat(9:30am) and my sister told that it has started raining again.I can't beleive I am missing it.I am down here in the South and it is very hot but also quite windy.I hope I get to see the rain.PDO had to cancel its flights to Fahud and Qarn Alam cause the airstrips were clogged up with rain....and no planes could land or take off.

[NaDa]

Actually it started at around 3.15 a.m, it has been now over 6 hours of non-stop rain!

Thats new for me! i have never witnessed such a weather in Oman.

[Jinan]

Ppl are still out in the rain... I hope it calms down by evening... since we have alot t do at our place.

[AL_NAAMANI]

Wow man...thats like the rainy season in Africa or the monsoon in India.Man Muscat is gonna get flooded.God help us!!

[Gazelle]

We're having a storm in UAE as well! The roads are flooded so is the house! it's been raining since about 3, just like in Oman.. Been spending the morning getting towels under the doors windows!

I hope people are careful in this rain! Shouldn't be going out unless you really have to because our roads aren't prepared for this sort of heavy rain..

[VANQUISH]

Let it get flooded! It happens once every couple of years!!

[AL_NAAMANI]

"Let it get flooded! It happens once every few years!! "

Vanquish,
I would also like it that way...but our countries are not prepared for such weather that is the only problem.I would love to see it as well but when u think of the consequences..than its not something u can wish for!!

Its also a good thing its happened on a weekend as well...alot of people will definately stay indoors.

[VANQUISH]

AL_NAAMANI,



nah...we r far more prepared then many other countries...once in Russia I told them we had markers on the side of the road with red marks as a warning hazard not to cross!! The ppl there were in disbelieve...coz they haven't seen such a thing in their country!!

[muscatplatypus]

I love the sound of the rain on my windows and on my roof, especially when I am curled up on my sofa with a good DVD and a big cup of hot chocolate!(with marshmallows on top!)

I hate the rain when it comes under my front door and floods my carpet.

I love going out and jumping in the puddles, like a big kid.

I hate having the mud trod through my house.

I love the rain if it means I cant get to work, and have to stay home and surf Omanforum.

I hate the rain if it means I can't get out to see my friends.

I love the rain when everything is soooooo green afterwards

I hate the rain when I get into my car and as I dry off all my windows keep steaming up.

Have I missed anything out <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Jinan]

yeh someone i know got a message saying this storm is coming from dubai.

[VANQUISH]

Newspapers today say that the death toll rose to 20!!

[AL_NAAMANI]

That is really sad...and they are still reporting that some people are still missing.

[AL_NAAMANI]

This is also really sad.

<a href="http://www.timesofoman.com/newsdetails.asp?newsid=29701pn=local" target="_blank">http://www.timesofoman.com/newsdetails.asp?newsid=29701pn=local</a>

[Dabdoob_Al_Helwa]

couldnt there be an advance warning ahead of time?
I mean im sure they could see this storm approaching muscat, so why didnt they do anything to warn the people to stay safe and be careful??????? In that case alot of the casualities could have been avoided!

[Special]

well since Tuesday it has been announced that today would be raining. So we were expecting it!

[Neo]

Is good to hear the most of you had water flooding into your homes, for a minute I though I had a flaw in my house design, nice to know, it applies to everybody as well <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[ProToCoL_MaN]

Al 7amdolilah 3ala kol 7al..we shoudnt forget that this is god mercy after all...

[MaD_K]

Some pictures of the rain in muscat///
<img src="http://www.geocities.com/khalid_asmi/g7.jpg">


<img src="http://www.geocities.com/khalid_asmi/g8.jpg">

[MaD_K]

opps....
Sorry Neo ...
I didn't see your post before ...
I got these pictures from an email..

[VANQUISH]

I remember once back in 1995 I was barefoot crossing a wadi that was all the way up to my waist!! Don't ask me what I was thinking...I was just coming out of an interview with the army and it seems the army life already got into my head!!

[Invincible]

Vanquish,



Werent you scared to sink in more and perhaps lose control?

[VANQUISH]

nah didn't cross my mind back then...it was purely sort like an adventure...

[Dark Angel]

Check this out!

&lt;a href="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/local/MUXX0003?whatprefs=lswe=Muscatlswa=WeatherLocalUnd eclared"&gt;http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/local/MUXX0003?whatprefs=lswe=Muscatlswa=WeatherLocalUnd eclared&lt;/a&gt;

Seems to have calmed down a bit. But those clouds from the north east look threatening <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> !

[Neo]

heyyyyyyy those are my pictures, damn are they already around the internet from one person to another via emai?. Damn <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> nice to know people cares. I took them this morning on my prado. Hey isnt these pictures to be copyrights lol <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> just kidding

[Dark Angel]

Arrgggh!! I'm redoing the URL:

<a href="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/local/MUXX0003?whatprefs=lswe=Muscatlswa=WeatherLocalUnd eclared">http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/local/MUXX0003?whatprefs=lswe=Muscatlswa=WeatherLocalUnd eclared</a>

I love rain. Wow. The smell in the air after it rains is just amazing. Its so much better in Oman. Probably cause its rare



I hear its hit Dubai hard. Some say it was more like a hurricane. Here's an email I got from a cousin:



<blockquote><font class="small"><hr />
they told everyone to stay where tehy were and not go out coz it was crazy outside. cars were blowing away! i was shopping at city centre and suddenly announcements started going on to not leave etc, my mom called an told me not to go anywhere..then finally we heard it was goign to only get worse and all the stores in city centre were closing so i just left, because if it got worse id be stuck there all night. anyway so then on my way home, i saw so many accidents. sh*t it was bad.. and billboards were in the middle of the streets, there were floods everywhere. sh*t, it was crazy.. our neighbours gate fell apart and was in the middle of the f***ing street!! in our garden, 2 of our huge trees that we've had forever fell to the floor... such a disaster..anyway so the storm went on all night, and now i wonder whats ging to happen now..



<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">



Sounds crazy, eh? I cant believe this is Muscat and Dubai! I wanna be there! I know its dangerous and all but it must be so exciting.



Dubai:



<img src="http://www.gulf-news.com/images/2003/04/hi/17_storm2.jpg">



<img src="http://www.gulf-news.com/images/2003/04/hi/17_storm1.jpg">



I've been told that conditions were much worse in Dubai. Whats weird is that there were no reports of deaths because of the storm in Dubai whereas 20 people had to die in Oman. Could this be the govt's fault? Doesnt it have a responsibility to warn citizens of such things like Dubai's govt did? Were there any warnings that anyone knows of? Are these 20 deaths worth the irresponsiliblity on the part of those who should be sending out warnings?



My dad was telling me that a cop he knows was telling him about the number of bodies that had to be lifted out of wadis with helicopters. The weird thing was that all of these were dead bodies. Where were these helicopters when these Omanis were drowning?



He also told me about an attempt to rescue (instead of just pick out a corpse - finally) where this family's house was so flooded that they had to wait on the roof for a helicopter to come and get them. And it did (!!).

[Neo]

Chitchi,

Muscati is within mountains and sea, while Dubai is plain flat. So I am not suprised, that Muscat woould be flooded and more death occurs compared to Dubai which is flat

good point neo

[Dabdoob_Al_Helwa]

yea thats correct neo....I mean Oman has wadis everywhere, so basically when it rains heavily, the rain floods in the wadis..but dubai is more flat therefore it is expected that less casualities would occur!

I was supposed to have my driving test today but I couldnt because over the weekend the drums were totally screwed up in ruwi so i couldnt practice...therefore its postponed! Arrrgghhh!

[Nomad]

Another reason why we have a lot of floods is because the roads don't have proper drainage systems.



I guess the reason is coz it hardly rains here and there...also as mentioned before, the terrain makes it difficult in Oman. Just look at the section of road that used to be used before they built that roundabout and bridge that connects you to select. A large portion of it just collapsed!



Oh and morbid, Good luck on ur driving test! Watch out for the tricks that the police guy will try, i think it was mentioned in another post.