• Cars submerged on a flooded street after Cyclone Shaheen hit Oman's capital Muscat. EPA
    Cars submerged on a flooded street after Cyclone Shaheen hit Oman's capital Muscat. EPA
  • A man wades through floodwaters during the storm in Muscat. AFP
    A man wades through floodwaters during the storm in Muscat. AFP
  • Shaheen made landfall in Oman on Sunday evening. EPA
    Shaheen made landfall in Oman on Sunday evening. EPA
  • A car hit by a fallen tree during the storm. AFP
    A car hit by a fallen tree during the storm. AFP
  • People take pictures near damaged trees after Shaheen hit Muscat. EPA
    People take pictures near damaged trees after Shaheen hit Muscat. EPA
  • Al Ansab Dam in Muscat during the storm. AFP
    Al Ansab Dam in Muscat during the storm. AFP
  • Shaheen caused flooding across Muscat. AFP
    Shaheen caused flooding across Muscat. AFP
  • Oman announced a two-day holiday after the cyclone hit the capital and other parts of the country. AFP
    Oman announced a two-day holiday after the cyclone hit the capital and other parts of the country. AFP
  • Flooding has damaged both commercial and residential properties and early on Sunday afternoon one child was reported to have drowned in the rising waters. AFP
    Flooding has damaged both commercial and residential properties and early on Sunday afternoon one child was reported to have drowned in the rising waters. AFP
  • Flights and schools have been suspended after Cyclone Shaheen led to flooding in the Omani capital Muscat. AFP
    Flights and schools have been suspended after Cyclone Shaheen led to flooding in the Omani capital Muscat. AFP
  • Media reports said scores of people had been moved to shelters in the past 12 hours with some flown by helicopter from their flooded homes. AFP
    Media reports said scores of people had been moved to shelters in the past 12 hours with some flown by helicopter from their flooded homes. AFP
  • Vehicles were submerged in flood water as Cyclone Shaheen struck Barkah in the Batnah region. Photo: Mohammed Alrahbi
    Vehicles were submerged in flood water as Cyclone Shaheen struck Barkah in the Batnah region. Photo: Mohammed Alrahbi

Oman assesses Cyclone Shaheen damage


Saleh Al Shaibany
  • English
  • Arabic

Oman has begun to clean up the damage left by Cyclone Shaheen, an operation that could cost the government millions of rials.

Recovery crews and utility workers have started work after the severe storm killed at least 11 people, destroyed homes, damaged infrastructure and forced more than 5,000 people into temporary accommodation.

Most of the damage is in Oman’s Batinah region, in the towns of Al Musannah, Suwaiq, Saham, Khabourah and Sohar, which were hit by 60-knot winds and 12-metre waves.

Towns were turned into “rivers and lakes” when the cyclone raged from Saturday to Monday.

Relief workers, a mix of municipality employees and volunteers, said damage to the Batinah region was extensive and its restoration could take months.

“The clean-up includes removing uprooted trees, fallen street lights, broken telecom masts, vehicles stuck in the wadis, dead animals, rubbles from broken roads and bridges,” Mansoor Al Yahyai, 23, a university graduate volunteering in Khabourah, told The National. “Only then we can start the repair and the replacement of damaged equipment and infrastructure.”

On Monday, Sultan Haitham, the Ruler of Oman, called for a ministerial committee to handle the clean-up and co-ordinate emergency efforts. He said the repair of infrastructure and reconnection of electricity and water should happen as soon as possible.

As municipality workers move in to survey the damage, civil engineers said the cost of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure could reach millions of rials.

“We are talking about damage of roads, bridges, power stations, electrical poles, water pipes, telecommunication facilities, state-owned buildings like ministries and schools and more,” said Khalid Al Harthi, 72, a retired former civil engineer at the Ministry of Defence.

“My estimate will be anything between 30 to 50 million rials [$78m to $130m]. There is widespread damage out there and I am not talking about private properties of ordinary Omanis who suffered the damages of their homes.”

The government did not release figures on the extent of the damage to private properties, but Mr Al Harthi said at least 1,000 houses could be affected.

“If over 5,000 [people] were evacuated, then the fair estimate is around 1,000 houses that have been damaged. I am not even talking about farms and private businesses like shops or even vehicles,” Mr Al Harthi said.

The government-owned Oman Charitable Organisation and Takaful Sohar have pleaded for private and public donations.

Most homeowners in Oman do not have house insurance and many fear that money raised from private funds will not be enough to cover the repairs.

My house is not insured and I am retired. My roof is leaking and the kitchen is flooded, and that is expensive to repair
Ibrahim Al Shaibany,
homeowner

Ibrahim Al Shaibany, 67, a homeowner in Sohar, said: “My house is not insured and I am retired. My roof is leaking and the kitchen is flooded, and that is expensive to repair. I don’t think there will be enough money raised from private donations to cover all the damages of homeowners like me.”

Other homeowners pleaded for government help.

One said: “I really hope the government would help people like us. It is our homes that have been damaged and we cannot afford to repair the damage. We just got back home from the shelter and the repairs are significant and could cost up to 3,000 rials ($7,800).”

A search-and-rescue operation is under way to find people who are still trapped in flooded areas, and hospitals remain on high alert, Omani state television reported.

All schools and universities have been closed for the rest of the week to allow water on the streets to drain. The Ministry of Labour has asked employers not to ask people to return to work if they live in flooded areas.

Committee set up

On Tuesday, Sultan Haitham called on his Cabinet to form a committee to assess the extent of the damage.

The committee will look at the private properties affected by the storms to support homeowners and private businesses. It will be led by the minister of finance, Oman TV reported.

“It was too early to reveal more information until the assessment have been completed,” a spokesman for the Cabinet of Ministers said.

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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

BRAZIL SQUAD

Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).

25%20Days%20to%20Aden
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Michael%20Knights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2026%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8) 

Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)

Brief scores

Toss India, chose to bat

India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)

Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)

India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method

'I Want You Back'

Director:Jason Orley

Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day

Rating:4/5

Top Hundred overseas picks

London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith 

Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah 

Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott

Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz

Oval Invincibles: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw

Trent Rockets: Colin Munro

Birmingham Phoenix: Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson

Southern Brave: Quinton de Kock

How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Updated: November 01, 2021, 12:28 PM