As Oman continues to come to terms with the devastation caused by flooding, reports confirm the loss of no fewer than 16 lives, with a notable portion being schoolchildren.
The discovery of a child and three adults on Monday served as a stark reminder of the toll exacted by the natural disaster, authorities revealed.
The official news agency of the Gulf sultanate first reported on Sunday that nine schoolchildren and three other adults had succumbed to the force of gushing wadi waters, losing their lives in the process.
Furthermore, it has been reported that five individuals are currently missing in the wake of the flooding that impacted the northeast of the nation.
On Monday, the Oman News Agency disclosed the recovery of the remains of a child and three additional individuals.
Violent thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds beginning on Sunday have battered the country, causing flash floods in several regions in the north and east of Oman.
The sultanate’s Council of Ministers said in a statement it was “filled with grief” and “extends its sincere condolences and sympathies to the families and relatives of school students who recently died in the Governorate of A’Sharqiyah”.
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On Monday, the Ministry of Education shuttered schools in most regions as a precaution against the flooding which also resulted in the closure of a number of roads.
Dozens left stranded were rescued in operations aided by helicopters from Oman’s air force.
Later in the day, weather forecasts suggest that storms will extend their impact to other Gulf states, namely Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
The lives of three children were lost in Oman in February as a result of flooding caused by heavy rainfall.