Cyclone Mekunu hits Oman

Cyclone Mekunu hit southern Oman with high winds and rain, killing one person and leaving three injured. State TV showed large areas of flooding in Dhofar and al-Wusta provinces, with dozens of vehicles submerged.

Oman's directorate general of Meteorology said the centre of the cyclone struck was west of Salalah, the second largest city in the Gulf state. It said the cyclone has lost some of its strength after making landfall.

Civil defence said it evacuated 10,000 people from schools and government buildings, mainly in the city of Salalah. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors.

Cyclone Mekunu's landfall in Oman came a day after it lashed the Yemeni island of Socotra, killing at least seven people there. Yemen's Fisheries minister



Fahad Kafin told news agency AFP, the bodies of five Yemenis and two Indians have been recovered. He said twelve Indians were still missing. Yemen government has declared the island of Socotra a disaster zone. 

India Meteorological Department has said, gale winds speed reaching 160 to 170 kilometre per hour is likely to prevail over west central Arabian sea today. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into Westcentral Arabian sea today.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Muscat said, two ships from the Indian Navy, INS Deepak and INS Kochi have sailed from Mumbai containing humanitarian aid material as well as helicopters equipped for rescue operations.