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Cyclone Shaheen: At least ten dead as tropical storm lashes Iran, Oman

At least ten people died after tropical cyclone Shaheen battered parts of Iran and Oman.

The storm arrived in the area on Sunday, with winds between 120 and 150 km/hr as it made landfall.

Thousands have been evacuated from coastal areas in Oman. Streets in the capital, Muscat, have been submerged.




Shaheen was later downgraded to a tropical storm after it hit land, a local meteorology service said.

In Iran, authorities said six fishermen were killed in a port in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The country’s official media said infrastructure including electrical facilities and roads were damaged.



Even before the cyclone made landfall in Oman, four people, including a child, had already died due to flooding.

Oman’s state news agency says the armed forces are rescuing people who have been trapped by the floodwater. They are also restoring damaged roads to get aid into the areas that need it.

Flights to and from Muscat were suspended and residents in coastal areas were urged to evacuate.

A cricket match between Oman and Scotland was abandoned due to the cyclone.

Authorities cut off the power supply in al-Qurm, east of Muscat, to avoid any incidents, and some 2,700 people were placed in emergency shelters.

Now authorities in the United Arab Emirates have said precautionary measures are being taken and Saudi Arabia has called for caution in several regions.

Police in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday were patrolling near beaches and valleys to ensure the residents’ safety.

Government and private-sector employees in al-Ain, on the border with Oman, were urged to work remotely on Monday and authorities called on residents to avoid leaving home except for emergencies, the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said.




The Saudi civil defence authorities called for caution in several regions from Monday to Friday in expectation of high winds and possible flooding, the state news agency reported.