Tropical Cyclone Luban is expected to intensify into a category 2 storm within the next 48 hours, according to Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation.
The tropical cyclone is expected to make landfall in the Dhofar governorate from Saturday with heavy rains, occasional thundershowers, fresh winds of about 30 – 40 knots and rising sea wave heights of 6m to 8m.
All security services, including the Royal Oman Police, Public Authority for Civil Defense and Ambulances and Oman’s Armed Forces from the capital and other parts of the Sultanate, have been deployed to the Dhofar governorate.
All patients in the Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah were moved to the SQH Heart Centre and Armed Forces Hospital ahead of the storm.
All operations on Salalah Port were also suspended on Thursday and the port administration has taken the necessary measures and precautions to mitigate any possible risks.
Schools in the Dhofar governorate were closed on Thursday. The hotels and resorts in coastal area too have taken the necessary measures to protect their guests and staff.
“We are prepared for the extreme for the extreme in case the cyclone changes course but at the moment the current expectation is strong winds and rain from late Friday night into Saturday and hopefully everything is back to normal by Sunday”, said James Hewitson, General manager at Al Baleed Resort, Salalah.
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