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Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar will not be affected by cyclone Mekunu which hit Yemen and Oman, the Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD) has said.
"There is no direct impact expected from the cyclone Mekunu. However, the impact of the cyclone would be indirect through a medium to high altitude drag flow into the country's atmosphere in the coming days, with the possibility of dust due to wind speed activity," the QMD said in a tweet.
Cyclone Mekunu gathered strength on Friday as it lashed southern Oman with high winds and rain, killing at least one person a day after wreaking havoc on the Yemeni island of Socotra.
"Latest observations show that tropical cyclone Mekunu has intensified to category 2,"with high wind speeds, Oman's directorate general of meteorology said on Twitter.
Omani civil defence authorities said the cyclone made landfall in the southern provinces of Dhofar and Al-Wusta.
Thousands of residents near the coastal areas in the two provinces have been evacuated to safer shelters as winds up to of 170 kilometres per hour and torrential rainfall lashed the coastal areas, officials said.
Civil defence said it had evacuated 10,000 people from schools and government buildings, mainly in the city of Salalah which has a population of 200,000.
Authorities have urged other residents to stay indoors.
Strong winds had already generated 12-metre-high waves offshore of the sultanate.
Mekunu was also headed towards the southeastern provinces of Yemen.
On Thursday, the storm pummelled the island of Socotra in Yemen, leaving at least 19 people missing, causing severe flooding and material damage.
