Cyclone Gonu had its greatest impact in Muscat after dark on Wednesday. This also coincided with high tide in the Gulf of Oman near Muscat

Some roads were badly damaged and in one wadi (valley) which is usually dry the water may have reached 15 meters in height across a width of some 50 meters.

Since buildings in Oman are made with steel re-inforced concrete most suffered little structural damage. Power supplies were cut in Muscat during the night and restored on Thursday morning.

Towns further down the coast (between Ras al Hadd and Muscat) seem to have been badly hit and the authorities advance warnings must have saved many lives in a country unused to such an event - though the authorities report 12 people died