Large parts of Oman were hit by flash floods on Sunday. Photo: Royal Oman Police
Large parts of Oman were hit by flash floods on Sunday. Photo: Royal Oman Police
Large parts of Oman were hit by flash floods on Sunday. Photo: Royal Oman Police
Large parts of Oman were hit by flash floods on Sunday. Photo: Royal Oman Police

At least 12 die and five missing after Oman flash floods


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LATEST: UAE braces for three days of heavy rain and thunderstorms

At least 12 people have died and five others remain missing after flash floods hit large parts of Oman on Sunday.

Nine of the deceased were students, two were citizens and one was an expatriate resident, Oman's National Committee for Emergency Management confirmed.

The authority said on social media that at least nine of the deaths were as a result of vehicles being swept away by floodwaters following torrential rain.

Omani Police are conducting land and air operations to rescue people trapped in flooded areas, including valleys.

The force said it had conducted a series of helicopter rescues on Sunday to come to the aid of people trapped during the hazardous weather, transport the injured to hospital and carry out searches for those reported missing.

Oman's National Multi Hazard Early Warning Centre had earlier stated it had received dozens of reports of people being stranded in cars and of homes and shops being flooded.

It said field teams, including police and Ministry of Defence personnel, had been deployed to deliver crucial assistance.

Oman's Civil Aviation Authority warned severe thunderstorms and high winds and hail would persist until Monday evening in a number of regions of the country.

People were urged to exercise caution during the unstable weather.

In August, three members of an Emirati family died when they tried to cross a flooded wadi in Al Buraimi.

In July 2022, 19 people died during severe flooding as Oman marked the Eid Al Adha holidays, leaving the nation in mourning.

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The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at. 
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.   

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The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

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COMPANY PROFILE

Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

Sector: Logistics

Raised: $2.5 million

Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

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Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

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What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru

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Coming soon

Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura

When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Akira Back Dubai

Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as,  “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems. 

The Voice of Hind Rajab

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Rating: 4/5

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Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant 

Three out of five stars

It Was Just an Accident

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Rating: 4/5

Updated: April 14, 2024, 8:10 PM