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Yemen + 1 more

Desert Locust Alert: Tropical Cyclone Mekunu (23 May)

Second cyclone develops in Arabian Sea & threatens Oman and Yemen

A new tropical storm has developed in the southwest Arabian Sea where it intensified yesterday evening into Cyclone Mekunu. The cyclone is moving currently north-northwest at a speed of 11 km/h. Mekunu is expected to continue moving in this direction during the remainder of this week and make landfall near Salalah, Oman on about Saturday 26 May.

A major fluctuation in tropical weather over the southern Arabian Sea known as the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is likely to cause Mekunu to strengthen further.

As a result, heavy rains are forecasted for Socotra Island, followed by the southern Arabian coast from Sayhut in eastern Yemen to Salalah and Ash Shuwaymiyyah in southern Oman, which could cause local flooding and damage.