India Sets up Control Rooms in Delhi and Muscat for Info on Indians in Oman
Agency report
New Delhi, June 7: The ministry of external affairs has announced that the Embassy of India in Muscat "is in constant touch with the Omani authorities to ascertain the safety of Indian citizens,'' an official statement said here today.
The Embassy was also trying to get in touch with the Indian community in various parts of Oman to ascertain the safety of Indians.
A man pushes his bike in the mud in Al Swadi area about 100km north west of Muscat, Oman, Thursday June 7, 2007. Residents of Muscat are recovering from the destruction after Cyclone Gonu battered Oman's coast on its path toward the world's most important crude oil tanker route. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
The cyclone has affected Muscat and the Port of Sur where most of the 3,86,000 Indians work.
A control room has been established in the Ministry to respond to any query about the safety of Indians in Oman.
The contact phone and fax numbers are: 011-23015300, Fax: 011-23018158. Those interested in knowing the welfare of Indians in Oman may leave the details in the Control Room.
A separate Control Room has been established in the Embassy of India, Oman to collect and provide information on the situation.
The telephone numbers are: 00 968 24813838 and 00 968 24812936.
The fax No: 00 968 24811607
Both Control Rooms are being manned round the clock.
1 killed, 8 Indians missing in Oman cyclone
New Delhi: A Keralite was killed and eight other Indians were missing in cyclone Gonu that hit Oman on Wednesday, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.
The body of the Keralite, Prakash, was recovered at Wadi Adai, the Ministry said in a statement quoting Embassy of India, Muscat.
Seven of the missing have been identified as Sajit Kumar (Calicut, Kerala), Udayan (Guruvayur, Kerala), Mohd. Ali and Binu (both Ernakulam, Kerala), and Sreenu and Sami (both Andhra Pradesh).
The eighth, from Punjab, is yet to be identified, the statement said.
Aftermath: 12 Killed in Oman by Cyclone Gonu
Pictures by Dilip Correa & Monica Dantis - Daijiworld Media Network - Muscat
Life limping back to normal in Oman
Latest updates from Daijiworld Media Network - Oman
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Jun 7, - 3.00pm Oman Time: The general life is limping back to normal after storm Gonu swept the Omani capital, Muscat including port cities of Sur and Sohar in Dakhliya and Sharqiya region,respectively. As it has been the new phenomenon occurring in the otherwise quiet country there exists fear among the nationals and the expatriates. The flash floods occuring in the gorgues of Jabels ravaged the low lying Omani Bedouin settlements(natives); with missing kith and kins around the capital area. Muscat Municipality personnel are busy clearing the roads to get back to normal traffic. The relatives of expatriates back in India are having anxious moments since the havoc struck the country. The 4 days of emergency holidays announced by authorities should enable the expat labourers to restore damage to their camps.
Reuters News:
SOHAR, Oman, Jun 7: Residents of Sohar port city cleared away sand bags and swept water out of homes Thursday after Cyclone Gonu battered Oman's coast with violent winds and fierce rains on its path toward the world's most important crude oil tanker route. At least 12 storm-related deaths were reported.
But as the storm—a rarity in the Middle East—headed from Oman to the southeastern Iranian coast, it continued to lose steam, dropping off to tropical storm strength early Thursday, according to the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
The center predicted Cyclone Gonu would make landfall on the southeastern Iranian coast late Thursday. But it was likely to spare Iran's offshore oil installations that lie more than 120 miles to the west, the center and oil officials said.
Cyclone Gonu has killed at least 12 people in this Arabian Peninsula sultanate, a spokesman for the Royal Oman Police told Oman TV Thursday.
Abdullah al-Harthi did not provide more details on the deaths or say where in Oman they occurred.
The storm battered Oman's coast with violent winds and fierce rains before heading into the Gulf of Oman Thursday on its way to southeastern Iran.
Daiijiworld correspondent Clarence Pinto Adds from Muscat:
It was a terrible experience to many residents in Oman…. Probably it is once in a lifetime experience for many. “It never happened in my life in Oman” says Stanley Fernandes, one of the longest serving Mangalorean
Winds of Cyclone Gonu passed through the city with a speed of fastest train demolishing most of the public property. Daiji Team made a special trip to the affected areas early in the morning. Corniche Road near Muttrah has been completely damaged. CCC – Qurum had been flooded and whole shopping complex has been sealed off. Sea front at Gulf Hotel – part of the road has been washed away.
As we contacted people arround – there are news that newly built Quriyat Bridge has severe damage. Qurum, Ghala and Toyota camps are experiencing heavy damages. Al Harthy complex areas have been sealed off.
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