Muscat: Twelve people have perished, including nine students, in a tragic event as flash floods struck Oman following torrential rains. The National Committee for Emergency Management confirmed that the victims were caught in floodwaters that swept away their vehicles on Sunday. The fatalities comprised two local residents, nine students, and one expatriate.
In the aftermath, authorities are urgently searching for eight individuals who remain unaccounted for. Reports from the Oman News Agency earlier noted that five people were missing, indicating the situation may still be evolving.
Rescue efforts have been robust, with the Police Aviation Division and Civil Defense successfully evacuating numerous people from various flood-impacted areas across the country. The Royal Oman Police have been actively responding to distress calls, aiding those trapped in vehicles, homes, and buildings submerged by rising waters.
A poignant discovery was made at Wadi Al Batha in Al Mudhaibi, where the body of a child was found, as reported by local residents and confirmed via a tweet from the Royal Oman Police.
As the community reels from this disaster, dramatic scenes unfolded on social media, showing residents and rescuers forming human chains to save those stranded, with waters rising to waist level in some areas.
The severe weather has caused extensive flooding across different regions of Oman, highlighting the urgent need for continued and coordinated rescue and relief operations.
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