Cyclone Shaheen, which reached the coast of the Sultanate of Oman on Sunday, caused citizens to be trapped inside their vehicles, and main roads were cut off, due to heavy rain and the accompanying strong winds.

The authorities pleaded with all residents to stay safely sheltered inside and not go out unless necessary. Additionally, the authorities had given Sunday and Monday off for all residents due to the weather conditions.

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The Civil Defense and Ambulance Authority in Oman announced that the rescue teams responded to nine reports related to the entrapment of people in their vehicles in the Governorate of Muscat, as a result of heavy rains caused by the hurricane.

The teams managed to retrieve 25 people, all of whom are in good health, according to the statement written by Oman News Agency on its Twitter account.

The agency stated that the cyclone cut off traffic on Sultan Qaboos Road.

The Civil Defense and Ambulance Authority called on road users to take caution and use alternative paths.

The water level rose in the Al Zahia area in the Mutrah district as the hurricane affected the area and citizens and residents were directed to evacuate to the rooftops of their houses.

The authorities in Oman had announced, on Saturday night, that the effect of the hurricane had begun to hit the coasts of the country and the inlands.

A statement of warning was issued saying that the wind speed would reach 60 knots per hour (110 km / h), while the height of the waves would reach 12 km.

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Many regions in the Sultanate of Oman began to witness heavy thunderstorms, according to a statement issued by three parties: the National Multi Hazard Early Warning System (NMHEWS), the Directorate General of Meteorology, and the Civil Aviation Authority.

According to the statement published by the Oman News Agency on its Twitter account, the latest analysis of the NMHEWS showed that Cyclone Shaheen will continue moving towards the coasts of the Sultanate overlooking the Sea of Oman.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said that the cyclone is about 130 km from the Governorate of Muscat, while the nearest cumulus cloud is 80 km away, and the wind speed around the center is estimated at 64 knots (116 km / h).

Saturday, the Omani authorities decided to grant two days of official leave to all employees in both the governmental and private sector, due to the exceptional climatic conditions in the Sultanate, starting from Sunday.

According to the Oman News Agency, the Ministry of Health, on Saturday, activated the national health emergency plan, the medical response sector and public health at the central level and in the governorates likely to be affected by the tropical situation.

Additionally, some governorates have prepared shelters in low-lying areas and locations close to the sea that are expected to be most affected by the hurricane.

The Omani authorities had asked residents of the areas within the direct impact of cyclone Shaheen to evacuate their homes and head to shelters.

The Omani Meteorological Department announced that the hurricane Shaheen has shifted into a first-class tropical cyclone, while the Civil Aviation Authority called on everyone to take the utmost care and caution and not to risk crossing valleys in addition to avoiding low areas or the sea during this period.

According to the latest data, the cyclone will directly hit the eastern coasts of the Sultanate of Oman, and then head to the Omani inlands, before large parts of the United Arab Emirates are hit with heavy thunderstorms and strong winds.

It will then continue its path affecting regions of eastern Saudi Arabia and the Empty Quarter with heavy rain and strong winds.