Bahraini team of specialists are travelling to Oman as powerful Cyclone is all set to pound the kingdom and Yemen

Manama : As Oman brace for impact of hurricane “Mekunu”, a group of Bahraini volunteer here has announced their intentions to join the middle eastern country in their effort to intensify rescue efforts.
Dubbed “Be Ready Team”, the Bahrain rescue team will be heading to Oman carrying the slogan “Bahrain and Oman hand in hand”.
“As soon as we heard about the hurricane, I and my friend, who is a rescue specialist, agreed to go to Oman,” Fahd Mohammed Yaqoot, Head of the Bahraini rescue team, told the Daily Tribune.
“We are specialists and we are training people on aid,” he said adding: “We believe that our presence there will help the Omani brothers.”
“The people of Oman are our people, we never felt that they are far away from us. We are in the same boat.
“Historically, the people of the Gulf have always been together and today, Oman needs our help.

Funds a concern

Yaqoot said they don’t have any support and will have to fund the trip on their own.  
“Yes, we do not have money to donate. All we have is a ticket that takes us there to help our brothers,” he said.  
He, however, said that they are open to receive any donation. “We will accept donations and will welcome any aid specialist who wants to join us.”
“It is our duty to support our brothers there” he stressed.  

Oman ready

According to reports, Cyclone Mekunu has pounded the Yemeni island of Socotra and is on a path to make its landfall in Oman late Friday or early Saturday, local time.
Omani authorities said they are prepared for the storm, warning it could cause floods and damages to houses. Oman has also evacuated the Islanders expected to hit by the hurricane.
Oman’s Public Authority of Civil Aviation, in a statement, said that it’s monitoring the storm and will issue updates as it progresses.
News portal UPI, in a statement carried, said that the defence ministry of Oman has evacuated residents in the Hallaniyat Island, which might come under the directed impact.
“The Royal Air Force of Oman carried out a number of flights today in support of the efforts by all the government security agencies,” the ministry said.

17 missing in Socotra

Arab news reported flooding and damages to houses on the island with at least 17 people reported missing. Reports also say that two ships reportedly capsized in the storm and three vehicles washed away. State of emergency has been declared in Socotra, Reuters reported.
The storm, described as “very severe” by Indian Authorities, according to latest reports, is now about 475 kilometres off the coast of Salalah and winds up to 180 kilometres per hour.
Reports say locations from Sayhut in eastern Yemen to Ash Shuwaymiyyah in western Oman are at risk for significant impacts from this cyclone.
Landfall is currently expected somewhere between Salalah and the border of Oman and Yemen.
Most recently, according to Hurricane News, Tropical Cyclone Keila made landfall in southwestern Oman as the equivalent of a tropical storm on Nov. 3, 2011.
“Mekunu”comes on the heels of Tropical Cyclone Sagar, which triggered flash flooding and widespread destruction and deaths in Somalia last week.

Wind strength of Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones are officially ranked on one of five tropical cyclone intensity scales, according to their maximum sustained winds and which tropical cyclone basin(s) they are located in.

CATEGORY 1 (tropical cyclone)
GALES with typical gusts over open flat land of 90 - 125 km/h.

CATEGORY 2 (tropical cyclone)
DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 125 - 164 km/h.

CATEGORY 3 (severe tropical cyclone)
VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 165 - 224 km/h.

CATEGORY 4 (severe tropical cyclone)
VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 225 - 279 km/h.

CATEGORY 5 (severe tropical cyclone)
Extremely dangerous with widespread destruction.
VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of more than 280 km/h.