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This is the second cyclone churning in the Arabian Sea, a week after Cyclone Chapla was categorised as the strongest system for this body of water, dumping 10 years worth of rainfall in Yemen over two days. (Supplied)
Another cyclone made landfall in Yemen's Socotra Island Sunday with winds of 204 kmph - the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane - prompting the Yemeni government's meteorology centre to post an urgent appeal to save residents from the second tropical storm in a week.
Heavy winds, rain and flash floods slammed into Socotra as the storm, named Megh, hit the island, already badly battered by last week's cyclone Chapala.
Socotra is a small Yemeni island in the Arabian Sea, some 350 kilometres off the coastline of Yemen.
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30 tonnes of urgent relief items to Socotra
As per the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KF), the 16th consignment of relief aid was distributed yesterday in the Republic of Yemen on board an Emirati plane carrying 30 tonnes of food and relief materials to be provided to the people affected by Chapala Cyclone that hit the island and other areas.
An official source at the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KF) said the aid is in line with the large humanitarian programme aimed to provide food, relief, and medicines which would help them to overcome life threatening conditions brought upon them by the Chapala Cyclone.
The KF delegation, which accompanied the relief assistance, was received by Saeed Salem Bahguibh, Governor of Socotra, and Dr. Ali Saeed Mukhaini, Director General of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hospital, and a number of Yemeni officials.
The UAE relief aid supplies included five tonnes of tents and blankets, five tonnes of medicines and 20 tonnes of various food items.
In his remarks to the Emirates News Agency, Wam, Bahguibh extended his thanks and appreciation to the UAE, saying that Yemenis will not forget this humanitarian gesture as well as the UAE's honourable stances.
The KF delegation also visited the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital and presented medical assistance and medicines in order to support the population of Socotra.
They were briefed on the services being provided and patients' needs in the hospital which contributes towards enhancing medical and clinical services in Socotra and neighbouring areas.
In a related context, the Wam correspondent met with a number of patients in the hospital.
Earlier report
Yemen is bracing for impact as Cyclone Megh slowly tracks westwards, located approximately 165 kilometres from Socotra Island according to Sunday’s weather update.
Forecasters have upped the storm’s intensity to a Category 3 cyclone, with the Oman Meteorology office estimating wind speeds reaching 101kmph, while the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) has estimated intensity measuring 165kmph to 213kmph.
Oman Met has also stated the Tropical Cyclone is not expected to have any direct impact on the Sultanate over the next 72 hours, despite being 700kms away from its coastline.
Latest satellite imagery indicates a ‘compact’ storm system, according to the JTWC, which has a 7.5km eye that will continue tracking westwards over the next 72 hours towards the Gulf of Aden and Yemen.
Areas that could be impacted include Yemeni port town of Al Makalla, which is still recovering from last week’s flooding caused by the wrath of Cyclone Chapala.
The current storm is forecasted to intensify to 213kmph prior to landfall over Socotra late Sunday, and weaken to 195kmph by evening.
The Cyclone is expected to weaken by late Sunday as it tracks towards the Horn of Africa.
Alerts have been issued for people to avoid coastal areas, with maximum wave height to reach 28 feet around Yemen, while Oman could see heights of 13 feet.
Oman has also forecasted rainfall around Dhofar in wake of Cyclone Megh.
This is the second cyclone churning in the Arabian Sea, a week after Cyclone Chapla was categorised as the strongest system for this body of water, dumping 10 years worth of rainfall in Yemen over two days.
The devastation of last week’s storm has left several people dead, homes destroyed and streets flooded days later.
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