Sunday, Jun 06, 2010
MUSCAT, Oman (AFP)--Life began to slowly return to normal in Oman on Sunday as the death toll of Cyclone Phet rose to 16 killed in the sultanate, officials said.
Public and private sector employees were back to work, after the government declared a holiday the day before, an AFP correspondent said.
Workers were beginning to clear the streets of Muscat of debris, but some streets remained blocked.
Police said Sunday they had found four missing people who had taken refuge in a mountain shelter.
The latest toll from Omani civil defense was 16 killed, up from 15 victims the day before. Most of those killed were Omani, but civil defense said a Pakistani and a Bangladeshi were among the victims of the storm.
Authorities have yet to announce the cost of damage caused by the cyclone.
On Sunday, Cyclone Phet killed at least four people as its moved on to Pakistan with heavy rains and winds lashing the port city of Karachi.
Before the cyclone hit in Oman, local authorities had taken several precautionary measures, evacuating hotels along the east coast and airlifting the residents of Masirah island to safer areas.
The islanders were beginning to return on Saturday, Muammari said on state television.
In 2007, Cyclone Gonu tore through Oman, killing at least 49 people and causing damage estimated at $3.9 billion.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-06-10 1345GMT
