Cyclone ravages Yemeni island, heads to Oman

Yemen high commission declared Socotra as a disaster zone, many missing and many more evacuated, 2 ships missing.

Yemen: Seven people were missing and hundreds of others evacuated from their homes after Cyclone Mekunu hit the Yemeni island of Socotra late on Wednesday, causing severe flooding and damage to houses, officials said.

Yemen high commision declared Socotra as a disaster zone, and called upon the Saudi-led coalition for help. While all communications from the island have been cut, a clear picture of the situation on the ground is not yet available.

Two ships off socotra island have been reported missing this morning, according to a Yemeni newspaper.

Source: AFP News Agency 

According to an Oman Police tweet, the cyclone will hit Dhofar and Al Wusta coasts on Friday. Public have been urged to be cautious and not to go near wadis (valley) because of flash floods.

Oman air issued a statement that flights to and from Salalah, Zanzibar, Nairobi and Dar Es Salam maybe affected in the coming days. Passengers are advised to check through the airline website.

Source: AFP News Agency

Oman is all set to tackle the impact of cyclone Mekunu. Emergency teams, and police are on the alert and ready. Pateints on critical care have been moved from Salalah hospitals to the capital Mascat.

It is expected to be a high-intensity category 2 cyclone very soon.

Four of the missing were crew on board a boat that sunk when the storm hit the island in the Arabian Sea, a fisheries ministry official told AFP.

Some residents carrying children tried to escape through the flooded streets, an AFP correspondent said.

Authorities called on humanitarian organisations and the Saudi-led military coalition that is battling Huthi rebels in the country to help, according to state-run news agency Saba.

In neighbouring Oman, authorities announced through the official news agency they were taking "necessary precautions" in case the cyclone hits Oman.

What are the expected effects on the UAE?

A medium range forecast from Numerical Weather Prediction shows no direct effects caused by the cyclone in the UAE. However, indirect effects expected is continuous moist air mass, which will enhance the chance of convective developments at times over the Eastern and Southern regions over the UAE.

The National Center of Meteorology is observing the weather condition and will apprise the public of the cyclone situation.

The National Center of Meteorology has requested that Emiratis and residents of the UAE keep following the updates, reports, forecasts issued by The National Center of Meteorology only, and never handle fake news. 

Earlier in the day, on Wednesday, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said there will be no landfall of Cyclone Mekunu in the UAE.

Refuting reports that tropical storm that is strengthening in the southwest Arabian Sea will hit Dubai, the weather bureau reiterated that the path of the cyclone is still towards Oman and Yemen.

“There is no direct impact seen on the UAE,” said Mohammad Al Alebri, director of Metoerology Department at NCM said around 5pm on Wednesday.

He said the cyclone was expected to change its category from one to two in the next 36 hours.

“On Friday night it will have landfall on the coast of Oman and the core of the cyclone will reach the land with heavy rainfall by early morning on Saturday.”

Once it is cut off from the sea, its source of power, the cyclone will slowly weaken and gradually dissipate.

“It won’t reach the UAE. However, there will be plenty of water vapor in the atmosphere.”

High temperatures in mountains will trigger more clouds over the eastern and southern parts of the UAE.

“That will cause thunderstorm clouds over eastern and southern areas of the UAE on Saturday, and on Sunday it will be associated with scattered rainfall in eastern parts along the mountains. But as for the cyclone, there will be no direct impact.”

The NCM spokesperson said the centre is continuously monitoring the situation and issuing regular updates on its website and social media channels.

The weather department urged residents to refrain from spreading rumours and reports that are not verified by NCM, the authorised entity to issue weather related reports and alerts in the country.