Oman
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has called for a fundamental shift in the way drought is perceived and managed in the Near East and North Africa region. The agency said in a new report issued today that a more pro-active approach based on the principles of risk reduction is needed to build greater resilience to droughts.
HIGHLIGHTS (MARKET ALERT)
With hydrocarbons accounting for around 60% of export earnings, there has been a significant deterioration in Oman's external performance since the collapse in oil prices in mid-2014.
Economic growth is however expected on the back of increasing natural gas output from the first phase of the Khazzan gasfield, which started operations in late September 2017. In addition, rising oil prices this year, will push up private and government consumption.
Introduction
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) supports disaster response and preparedness activities in 20 countries by working closely with Humanitarian Coordinator’s (HC)/Resident Coordinator’s (RC) offices, OCHA Country Offices and Humanitarian Advisory Teams (HATs).
1. Executive Summary
1. Executive Summary
Situation générale en mai 2018 Prévision jusqu'à mi-juillet 2018
RÉGION OCCIDENTALE: CALME
SITUATION. Une reproduction à petite échelle a eu lieu dans le centre de l’Algérie.
PRÉVISIONS. Une reproduction à petite échelle devrait démarrer à partir de mi-juillet avec le début des pluies saisonnières dans le nord du Sahel de la Mauritanie, du Mali et du Niger. On ne s’attend à aucun développement signifi catif.
RÉGION CENTRALE: CALME
SITUATION.
5 June 2018 – Within a week, 2 record-setting tropical cyclones that formed in the Gulf of Aden made landfall, wreaking widespread havoc in Somalia, Oman and Yemen. The World Health Organization is supporting direct response efforts in Somalia and Yemen, while Oman relies on its preparedness developed in partnership with WHO.
Tropical Cyclone Mekunu hits Yemen and Oman, while West Africa records mixed rainfall
Africa Weather Hazards
Insufficient rain since January has resulted in large moisture deficits and below-average vegetation conditions over portions of northwestern Angola.
Poorly-distributed rain since late February has resulted in abnormal dryness across central and northeastern Ethiopia.
Dr Abdulmunim bin Mansour al Hasani, Minister of Information, on Wednesday met editors-in-chief of local newspapers and DGs of the private radio and TV stations. During the meeting, the minister praised the print, audio, visual and electronic media for facing challenges during the coverages of Cyclone Mekunu that hit the governorates of Dhofar and Al Wusta. He appreciated the role of journalists, especially those who have been in the field, and praised the role played by the media in providing accurate information.
The State Council Bureau held its eleventh meeting for the third annual session on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council, in the presence of the Bureau members and the Secretary-General of the Council. The Bureau on Tuesday also discussed the proposal on ‘Challenges of handicrafts and ways to address them’ and commended national cohesion during cyclone Mekunu in Dhofar Governorate.
On Saturday 26 May, Tropical Cyclone MEKUNU blew into the Arabian Peninsula with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h drenching arid Oman and Yemen with rain. According to media, as of 26 May, one person has been killed in Oman, 40 people are missing from the Yemeni island of Socotra and hundreds of others have been evacuated in this Island. Portions of Salalah, Oman's third-largest city, lost electricity as the cyclone made landfall.
The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Mekunu’ over Oman moved further northwestwards with a speed of 14 Kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 0530 hours IST of today, 26 th May, 2018 over Oman near latitude 17.2 0N and longitude 53.30 E, about 85 km west northwest of Salalah. It is very likely to move northwestwards and weaken into a severe cyclonic storm during next 06 hours and into a deep depression during subsequent 06 hours.
Warning:
As the system is away from Indian coast, no adverse weather is expected along & off west coast of India and Lakshadweep.
by Reuters Friday, 25 May 2018 17:59 GMT
Yemen declared a state of emergency on Thursday for Socotra (Updates casualties, dateline)
By Mohammed Mokhashaf
ADEN, May 25 (Reuters) - Five people were killed and at least 40 missing on the Yemeni island of Socotra on Friday as Cyclone Mekunu pummelled the area before making its way to the Arabian Peninsula's southern coast.
Read more at the Thomson Reuters Foundation
The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Mekunu’ over Westcentral Arabian Sea moved further north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 Kmph during past 06 hours, intensified slightly further and lay centered at 1730 hrs IST of today, 25 th May 2018 over Westcentral Arabian Sea near latitude 16.4 0N and longitude 54.1 0E, about 420 km nearly north of Socotra Islands and 70 km south of Salalah(Oman).
Mekunu developed in the Arabian Sea and impacted Oman and Yemen as an extremely severe cyclonic storm. It followed less than a week after cyclone Sagar, which caused flash floods and casualties in Yemen, Somalia and Djibouti. Regular warnings from meteorological services and mobilization by disaster management authorities helped keep loss of life and property to a minimum.
by Reuters
Thursday, 24 May 2018 14:38 GMT
The storm is expected to hit southern Yemen and the coast of neighboring Oman on Thursday (Adds loss of communications, closure of Omani airport)
By Mohammed Mokhashaf
ADEN, May 24 (Reuters) - Yemen declared a state of emergency on the island of Socotra on Thursday as a tropical storm intensified after flooding several villages and capsizing boats to leave at least 17 people missing, government officials said.
