Everyone rallied round as Cyclone Mekunu struck

Muscat: Here is how people stood together for Salalah in the midst of Cyclone Mekunu.
The humanitarian work done in Salalah can be attributed to every member of society. Whether from the government, military, Chamber of Commerce, the municipality, volunteers or businessmen, everyone aided in protecting Dhofar and its people.
Engineer Ahmed bin Mohammed, Salalah municipality council member, spoke to Times of Oman about the volunteers’ work before, during and after the cyclone. “Before the event, there was a meeting in the Chamber of Commerce office in Salalah, where businessmen, chamber members, municipality members and members of local voluntary teams met to plan all the arrangements and to coordinate ways to support the tremendous efforts by the government,” he said.
Due to the sheer scale of the event, many volunteers found it difficult to move around.
“We did face challenges moving people from one location to another, but it was necessary to ensure their safety. The biggest challenge we had was the sheer amount of water; 517 mm of rain is unprecedented in Salalah,” said Mohammed. “There are times when we wanted to leave to provide food and water to others, but couldn’t because of the floods and broken roads.”
A drill to ensure the safety and security of the volunteers was also put in place. “We had a trip plan which shows us when exactly the person left, when the services reached and when the person returned. We also had people monitoring the road access, so that we know when and if we need to take another path,” he said.
Since it is Ramadan, volunteers had to make sure that all the food was delivered before sunset. The items were provided by locals, catering companies, restaurants, hotels, businessmen, even the military kitchens helped to provide food for the shelters.
Ghazi Al Rawas, one of the volunteers, said they were ready just two days before the cyclone made a landfall in Dhofar. More volunteers from the northern provinces of Oman had joined them the day the cyclone battered Dhofar. “I thank these volunteers for their courage and for coming to help their brothers and sisters. I also thank everyone who prayed for us,” he said.
The events that took place would be recorded in Salalah’s history, said Muammar Al Rawas, Vice-Chairman of Kunooz Oman Holding, who was a part of a volunteer team in charge of transportation.
“We are very proud of everyone’s efforts through these hard times, many houses in Wilayat Salalah, and Thumrait opened their doors to take in other people, even hotel owners and GCC residents who own property in Dhofar welcomed others,” he added.
“We at Kunoos Oman provided all our equipment and all the workforce. We have been working 24 hours from the first day of the tropical cyclone till today,” said Al Rawas.
Buses for transportation were provided by transport companies. Even individual bus drivers supplied their buses. People have now begun going back to their homes. For the individuals that were in shelters, if they arrived by their own vehicles, then they leave by themselves. “However, if they were brought in by a bus then there is a designated bus that transports them from the schools to their homes,” added Al Rawas.
Captain Mohammed Al Hashami, from the public relations department at the Royal Oman Police, said, “The Royal Oman Police monitored the development of the tropical cyclone in the Arabian sea; when indications showed that it will be effecting Dhofar and Al Wusta, the police began preparations before the landfall.”
“The Royal Oman Police sent forces to both governorates, in addition to equipment to deal with such circumstances.
“We must not forget that even though the cyclone has passed, its effects are still present; therefore the Royal Oman Police has multiplied its efforts in clearing up roads,” he said.
Another body that significantly aided in ensuring the safety and security of the residents was the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance.
The authority played an important role in transporting patients and helping people stranded by floods, electricity cables and fallen trees. — Photos by Shabin E