Thousands of people evacuated low-lying areas, as the strongest cyclone seems to be threatening the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years.
Strong winds and waves lashed Oman’s eastern coast early Wednesday, indicating formation of a cyclone. Southern Iran and the oil-rich Persian Gulf were next in its path.
Cyclone-force winds of Gonu, dropping heavy rains on Muscat, churning northwest through the Indian Ocean, reached the Omani coastal towns of Sur and Ra’s al-Hadd.
Remote sensing satellite imagery provided by NASA shows Cyclone Gonu over the Arabian Sea, threatening the Arabian Peninsula, and Iran.
Gonu, which means a bag made of palm leaves in the language of the Maldives, is expected to evade the region’s biggest oil installations but could disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a spike in prices, therefore weighing heavily on the market.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a U.S. military task force that tracks storms in the Pacific and Indian oceans, has forecast rough seas in the Strait of Hormuz, the main transport route for two-fifths of the world’s oil and the southern entrance to the Gulf.
Department of Meteorology in Iran predicted heavy rain and gushing winds along the country’s southeastern coast.
Nearly 7,000 people from Masirah, a lowland island off the east coast of Oman used by U.S. forces for refueling, logistics and storage, have been evacuated as a safety measure. Oman’s main international airport in Muscat was also closed. However, a state of emergency has been declared in Masirah. Army and police have been mobilized to help provide shelter and medical services to the people.
Saudi Arabia Government said the country and oil markets would not be seriously affected by the storm.
Even with feeble wind speeds, Gonu is expected to be the strongest cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula ever since record keeping started in 1945.
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Via: Globeandmail.com