Gonu-newsfeeds, June 9, 2007

Hi, here are two reports on the fourth day post Gonu.
When will I ever learn to blog? I mean, really blog and not just post reports.
I am a slow learner, so let me learn, slowly...
Admad

Report 1:
MUSCAT – A senior Omani health official played down the fear of the outbreak of any diseases in the wake of cyclone Gonu in Oman. The ominous presence of pools of rain and wadi water in many areas, huge gatherings of evacuees in shelters pose possible health threats like water borne diseases, which could spread like wildfire in such crisis situations. But, Dr Ali bin Jaffer bin Suleiman, supervisor of the directorate general of health services, ministry of health (MoH) told state radio that there was no reason for such fear.Diseases like cholera, malaria, dengue fever, polio etc., were unlikely to occur in Oman, because enough precautions have been taken for the same. Moreover, these diseases have either been eradicated, controlled or contained for the last many years. Outbreaks of some of these diseases have not occurred for many years, the official stressed. “We have had no cases of cholera, save for one or two imported ones, for more than a decade. “Malaria has been eradicated since some time now. Moreover, malaria parasites are transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which do not exist in Oman. And similarly, there is no need of concern for dengue fever too,” he said.Although human congregations in shelters and water logging could bring in diseases like measles and other respiratory illnesses, thanks to proper medical coverage and immunisation measures, such fears can also be ruled out. “Thanks to the thousands of parents in Oman, we have around 99percent measles coverage, while polio is also eradicated,” Dr Ali Jaffer said, adding however, that precaution should be taken for diseases like diarrhea and other water borne diseases borne by consuming contaminated water.He urged the public not to drink wadi water. “Some people are doing that, and I don’t think that is a good idea as there are chances that the wadi water is contaminated now.”Due medical attention was provided for the elderly and otherwise medically indisposed segment of the public. Those who are unable to travel to the hospitals because of non existent roads and the like are being air lifted to hospitals. In excess of 30 such patients have been given medical services. Since some key roads to areas like Al Amerat and Quriyat are open, these patients are also obtaining medical support. He also noted all hospitals, even the ones that were shut temporarily, are fully operational. “Al Nahda Hospital in Wattayah was shut down for a day, but now it is operational. Both of the other main hospitals, Khoula and Royal (Hospital) are working to the full capacity.“Sur hospital was cut off, because of the lack of roads and communication, but since Friday, the hospital has been functioning.” Hospitals in the Sharqiyah region are also functioning and mobile clinics were also providing their services to the displaced public. “We have been prepared for the situation, so everything is under control,” he said.Meanwhile, the water worry still posed a problem for the public in the capital area. While officials reassured that supplied would be restored soon, an official revealed to the FM English Radio Sultanate of Oman that it would take at least 10 days for the water situation to be “completely normalized”. “We are working around the clock to restore water supplied and if things goes well, we might even bring the situation back to normal before 10 days,” the official said. However, water was being pumped from 20 bore wells and so areas like Seeb and Barka will be getting five million gallons and seven million gallons of water, respectively, from these wells. “We are hoping to get another pump organized. If we succeed, we will be getting close to 20 million gallons of water from Barka to Seeb area,” Engineer Said told the radio, adding that they would also be pumping water to the Bausher area. “Water was being rationed off in several areas already. On Friday night we provided the Qurum area, today (Saturday) we are providing to Bausher and then we will be pumping water to Wattayah, Ruwi, Wadi Kabir, Muscat and rotate it back to Bausher. “We have also supplied water to tanker water filling stations in many areas.”Meanwhile, provisions’ armed volunteers were in full swing, doing their bit to provide essential services to the displaced public. Ahmed Rayees, the Muscat-based son of the Indian minister of state for external affairs, E. Ahmed, yesterday said that they have targeted many areas, especially the hard hit area of Al Ghubrah and were providing relief. “We have managed to provide food and water to thousands of people. But, it is not enough. We are desperately trying to get drinking water supplies from Dubai and even from Sohar, but we have not been successful,” Rayees, who is also the president of the posh Indian School Al Ghubrah (ISG) and general manager of Al Dastoor Contracting in Muscat. He noted that there was virtually none in Al Ghubrah who was not affected in some form or the other. “Most of the ground floor areas of buildings in Al Ghubrah are destroyed. Many have several inches of slush and it is quite a task to get them removed.”He noted they have taken all measures to safeguard the several hundreds staff of the school ISG) they run. Volunteers of the Art of Living (AoL), and several ad-hoc Omani volunteer groups were also contributing their mite to this cause.While the AoL distributed food, blankets and other essential to the Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) on Friday, yesterday, they provided a truck load of water, an AoL Oman member, Rajiv Ahuja said.
Ends/Admad/Gonu - fourth day update
Report 2:
MUSCAT – Official reports yesterday maintained the same death toll figures as on Friday, following Cyclone Gonu in Oman.Officials of the storm ravaged country maintained that around 49 were dead and 27 missing, the same figures that they had unveiled on Friday.However, unofficial sources claimed that above 50 died and more than triple that number were missing or unaccounted so far. While there was no official means to corroborate that, a palpable fear lay among the people because they were unable to establish contact with many of their friends, acquaintances and fellow workers owing to the lack of communication in several areas. This is despite partial restoration in some cases and near complete restoration of the communication lines in the hard hit areas.Muscat is seen as the worst hit area, and several popular locales of the capital was virtually unrecognizable. Amongst the many disruptions, several school examinations for Omani students were postponed owing to the storm and post-storm related problems.Officials of the Ministry of Education (MoE) yesterday noted that they had postponed the examinations for Omani students in the Muscat governorate and Al Sharqiyah region.Exams of the Grades Vth to XIth (five to eleven) of the primary and general education schools and the Islamic, Cultural and Social Studies; history and geography exams of the Grade XII (twelve) in the governorate of Muscat and in the north Sharqiyah region were postponed until further notice. A MoE statement also noted that exams for Grade V to XI students in governorate of Dhofar, Buraimi, Musandam, north and south Batinah, Al Dhahirah, Al Dakhliyah, northern Sharqiyah and Al Wusta region will resume today (Sunday) as per the original schedule. Meanwhile, Oman’s council of ministers convened a special meeting yesterday (Saturday) to look into the extent of damage caused by the cyclone and the ways and means to deal with the Gonu aftermath. This meeting came as part of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s royal attention to his public and care for their welfare, a radio report said, adding that ruler of Oman was continuously monitoring the events following the storm and making sure that proper effort is being taken to restore normalcy in the storm ravaged country. Ends/Admad/Gonu/Fourth Day/IInd report