Cyclone Ashobaa churns closer to Oman

Cyclone Ashobaa continued to churn towards Oman on Wednesday night, with surface wind speeds of up to 82kph.

As it moves closer to the coast, the storm is expected to bring “different intensities of rain and fresh-to-strong winds”, the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology says.

The Sea of Oman will remain very rough and there is a chance of rain over the south-eastern region of the UAE as the storm moves closer to the coast.

Dry land air may also weaken the storm, according to the meteorological website Accuweather.com.

If so, the coast could still be hit by flooding rain but Oman’s interior would be spared from disastrous effects.

An Abu Dhabi Police search and rescue team – experts in water, valley and floods – has been moved to Fujairah in case help is needed when Ashobaa lands.

The Ministry of Interior has urged fishermen and swimmers to avoid the sea.

Oman’s weather bureau said Ashobaa was 220 kilometres away from Al Sharqiya, on the south coast, at 4pm on Wednesday.

newsdesk@thenational.ae