Muscat: Heavy rains lashed most parts of Oman on Thursday, disrupting normal life and throwing traffic out of gear.
Temperatures were lower across much of the country.
Many parts of Dhaklyah, North Batinah and Sharqiyah governorates received heavy rains, while Musandam and Muscat governorates received light to moderate rains.
Wadis in the provinces of Rustaq, Nakhal, Awabi, Dima wa Tayeen, Samayil, Sohar and Yanqul were flooded and caused traffic jams.
Many roads in Rustaq and Awabi were flooded.
No causalities have been reported, an official at the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) told Gulf News.
Northern parts of Oman, including Dhakliyah, Dahira, South Sharqiyah, Dhofar and Muscat governorates were expected to receive medium to heavy rains until Saturday.
Pictures of a hailstorm that lashed the provinces of Rustaq, Awabi and Amerat went viral on social media platforms.
Earlier, authorities urged residents to stay away from low-lying areas, as well as overflowing wadis.
Latest satellite images and weather charts showed that the depression was likely to continue over Oman until Saturday leading to thundershowers and hailstorms.
The forecast said most parts of the country would be hit by medium to heavy rains.
Conditions at sea were expected to be moderate to rough along the coastal areas of Musandam governorate and Sea of Oman with a maximum wave height of 2.5m, according to the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) .
Rainfall in 2007 due to Cyclone Gonu claimed 49 lives, which was followed by Cyclone Phet in 2010 that claimed 24 lives.
