Tropical Cyclone Gonu - Oman Braces for Strongest Storm Ever
According to the AP, records indicate that Gonu is expected to be the strongest storm to ever be recorded in the Arabian Peninsula. The storm is currently packing winds of 160MPH with gusts to 195 mph. That is stronger than Katrina which devastated the US gulf coast 2 years ago. U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf are taking precautions to avoid Gonu. The government in neighboring Saudi Arabia said the country and oil markets would not be seriously affected by the storm. But some oil analysts said the storm could have a damaging effect on the oil market. On Monday authorities evacuated nearly 7,000 people from Masirah, a lowland island off the east coast of Oman. The most powerful part of the storm was expected to hit Oman on Thursday, before moving north into southern Iran. The forecast indicated rough seas within the Straits of Hormuz, where two-fifths of the world's oil is transported through, westward to the outskirts of Dubai.