Oman braces for the devastation of cyclone Luban

Forecasters say the powerful cyclone is hurtling towards the Omani coast

Debris and sea foam litters a beach hit by Cyclone Mekunu in Salalah, Oman, on May 26, 2018. Kamran Jebreili / AP

Oman’s meteorological department has warned that Cyclone Luban could make landfall in the south of the country on Friday morning with winds reaching close to 140 kilometres per hour.

Forecasters in Oman say that the powerful cyclone is hurtling towards the Omani coast and could cause thundery downpours and severe windy conditions in the Dhofar region in the south, as well the Wusta region in the central area of the country.

“This will be category two and its devastation is not yet known however the precaution is to stay indoors from tomorrow and fishermen should not go out to the sea,” A Met Department statement said on Thursday.

It added that the cyclone is about 400 km away from Salalah, the capital of the southern region and it could accelerate to category three when it hits the land by Friday.

Storms are graded in terms of their strength up to category five, which is the most destructive cyclone level and the most dangerous.

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Oman was hit by cyclone Mekunu in May this year and left three people dead and caused severe damages to properties. The country then declared three days off for residents in the Dhofar region to allow recovery work.

The cyclone is moving from Yemen towards Oman from the island of Socotra.

People in Salalah have already started taking precautions by stocking food, petrol for their cars and candles just in case there was disruption of electricity.

“During Mekunu, we were left without power and all the shops were closed. This time I am taking this very seriously. I am not the only one. All the houses in my street are doing exactly just the same,” Ahmed Al Yafei, a resident in Salalah told The National.

The weather in the UAE has dropped in recent days but the country is expected to be unaffected by the cyclone. The seas in the Arabian Gulf “may become rough,” however, the National Center of Meteorology said on Thursday.