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Cyclone Phet intensely felt in Oman. As the cyclone reached the Omani coastline on June
3 as a tropical storm, landslides and floods resulted in the eastern part of the country,
with 10,000 coastal residents moved to safer ground inland, while 85% of the island of
Masirah’s residents were evacuated as winds reached 200 miles-per-hour. The country’s
oil and gas production were also halted due to rough seas. Army forces were dispatched
to the region, with at least two fatalities confirmed as civil defense crews rescued three
people from an area engulfed by floods. Mr. Eugene M. Joseph, operations manager at Al
Askara Youth Hostel stated, “I have never seen rains like this in the seven to eight
years I have lived here.” India’s Meteorological Department scientists report that Cyclone
Phet likely turned ominous so quickly because of increased sea surface temperatures that
catalyzed extraction of more water from the ocean, resulting in the storm’s swift intensification.
We are thankful for the efforts of the Omani government and all rescue personnel. Our prayers
that the missing will be safely found and that such weather events calm as we strive
in unity for more considerate regard of all beings�