DUBAI/JEDDAH, 6 June 2007 — A super cyclone — code named Gonu — approached the Arabian Peninsula with winds reaching an estimated 250 kilometers per hour and torrential rain. The Gulf states in its path weathered the storm with alerts and preparedness on a war footing.

The intensity of the storm was likely to recede considerably in the event that Gonu reaches the Eastern Province, according to the Presidency for Meteorology and Environment (PME). Oman was predicted to receive up to 150mm of rain within 24 hours and the storm surge associated with the cyclone might raise the sea level by as much as 10 meters.

According to PME, the effect of Gonu in the Kingdom will be limited to scattered clouds of high altitude and moderate activity of surface winds which will be in a northeasterly direction at a speed of 30 to 40 km per hour. They will be accompanied by dust storms and moderate showers.

PME has already issued an advisory to the Coast Guard, Saudi Navy, armed forces, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Civil Defense and Saudi Aramco. “The cyclone will not hit the eastern or central parts of the Kingdom,” the PME said, allaying fears of residents in the two regions.

PME officials said they had received several calls from residents in the Eastern Province inquiring about Gonu. “During the past 24 hours we have received at least 7,200 such calls,” said one official. “Forecasters are closely following changes in weather conditions,” the PME said.

Saudi Aramco said it had taken a series of measures to counter possible weather changes as a result of the cyclone.

“All information received from weather forecasters in the Kingdom and the UAE indicates that the cyclone is still far away from the coast of the Eastern Province. Despite this fact, we’ll continue to inform our fleet of ships about the latest developments. We have also adopted emergency plans for all our marine institutions operating in the Arabian Gulf and for the protection of our employees,” the Aramco spokesman said, adding that the weather changes would not affect the company’s activities. The Kingdom’s Civil Defense Department has already prepared a contingency plan to meet any disaster and issued warnings to the public.

The coast of the emirate of Fujairah was battered yesterday as Gonu passed the area by late evening. No casualties were reported. Hundreds of onlookers, eager to see the huge waves, were present on the beaches of Fujairah, Kalba, Khorfakkan, Bidya, Giraya and Mirbah.

Authorities have taken all measures to meet any emergency situations and a fleet of ambulances and emergency vehicles is ready in the coastal areas. “All officers will be on call for 24 hours until the cyclone passes and we are out of danger,” said a senior Coast Guard officer.

According to Julian Hemmings, tropical storm expert at the UK Meteorological Office, the storm has weakened very slightly over the past 24 hours but maintained wind speeds of well over 200 km. “Over the last 12 to 24 hours, (June 4 - 5) the storm has indicated a slight move northward,” he said yesterday. “If this is the case, we expect it to reach Iran about midnight UK time Thursday (3 a.m. Friday local).”

Gen. Malik bin Suleiman Al-Muamri, head of the Oman Civil Defense, said that evacuation of over 7,000 people from Masira, an island off the east coast of Oman, was under way. The Royal Omani Police in Muscat warned fishermen to remain ashore and residents of Muscat’s coastal areas have been warned not to go out.

The army, navy and air force have been asked to remain on standby. Reports received late yesterday from residents on the Oman coast said that heavy rains were lashing the islands and Omani coastline especially Sur and Masira island.

The Omani authorities have evacuated residents from these locations and warned residents in nearby areas to take all precautions.

Gonu began in the middle of the Arabian Sea and started on a northwesterly track.

At UTC on June 5 the storm was located at Latitude 21 North and Longitude 83.1 E. The longer it stays over the ocean, the longer it maintains its intensity. Even with the weaker wind speeds, Gonu would be the strongest cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula since record keeping started in 1945.

Cyclonic storms are common during a short season and generally form in the southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining central Arabian Sea in the months of May, October, November and December. Few reach land. If the cyclone reaches the deserts of the southwestern Arabian Peninsula, its energy source — derived from the combination of latent heat, condensation and warm water — will be deprived of water.

The evaporation of moisture, which is accelerated by the high winds and reduced atmospheric pressure in the storm, results in a positive feedback loop. As a result, when a tropical cyclone passes over land — and especially in this case, desert — its strength diminishes rapidly and it fizzles out.

Latest position from the UK Meteorological Office and strength at time of going to press: Time 00 UTC 05.06.2007 Severe Cyclonic Storm GONU Analyzed Position: 20.7N 62.2E Strength: Strong

To watch the progress of the Gonu go to: http://pm-esip.msfc.nasa.gov/cyclone/ — or http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ and search: Gonu

— With input from P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Saeed Haider and Razan Baker