Four Dead, One Missing in Oman Flash Floods

At least four people have died and one remains missing in Oman after flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall swept away vehicles in wadi beds across the South Al Batinah Governorate, authorities reported on Sunday. The incidents occurred over the weekend of March 20 to 22, 2026, amid an unstable weather system that brought intense thunderstorms and downpours to multiple regions, including Barka and Al Maawil wilayats.

Oman's Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority confirmed the fatalities, which stemmed from three vehicles caught in fast-moving floodwaters in Wadi Al Maawil on Saturday night. Rescue teams saved one occupant from the surge, but searches later recovered the bodies of three others. In a related event in Barka wilayat, two more bodies were found after a vehicle carrying 10 people was swept away, with seven individuals rescued. Efforts continue to locate the missing person, as emergency crews comb high-risk areas.

The flooding disrupted transportation in low-lying zones, blocking roads in parts of Muscat and the Al Batinah coastal belt. More than 40 people were rescued overall during the operations, which involved evacuations from trapped residences and distress calls...