You are

Learning English > News English > Words in the News

in:
 

Learning English - Words in the News

 

06 June, 2007 - Published 13:55 GMT

 

High winds hit Oman

 

In the Gulf state of Oman, thousands of people have fled their homes because of an
unusually powerful cyclone. The cyclone has started to batter the coast of the country
with winds of up to 260 kilometres an hour. This report from Julia Wheeler:

Listen to the story

The powerful storm which has hit the south-eastern coast of Oman is bringing both
strong winds and waves of up to twelve metres high. It was widely predicted and the
Omani government had taken the precaution of evacuating low-lying areas. On the
mainland, this south-eastern facing shore is sparsely populated. Further north, in the
coastal capital of Muscat, people have been advised to stay indoors and to switch off
their power. Schools have been designated as emergency shelters and the main Seeb
international airport, west of Muscat, is closed.

Forecasts of the storm saw concern and a price rise in oil markets earlier in the week
but these fell back on Tuesday. Oman's oil output is not as high as some of its
neighbours and analysts say there would be more market volatility if the serious
effects of the storm were expected in Iran. By the time the storm gets to south-eastern
Iran, as predicted, it's forecast to be a lower level storm with heavy rains and strong
winds.

There's been some suggestion the cyclone could disrupt oil tanker traffic in the
Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between the tip of the Arabian Peninsula and
Iran. This storm is being described as the strongest to hit the Arabian Peninsula since
records began in 1945.

Julia Wheeler, BBC News, Dubai

Listen to the words

It was widely predicted

a lot of people thought something (here, the cyclone) would happen

taken the precaution

put safety measures in place

evacuating low-lying areas

moving people away from land that isn't on hills or mountains but at or near the level of
the sea

sparsely populated
a place where not many people live

designated as emergency shelters

selected as places where people can go to be safe during a crisis or difficult time

saw concern
made people worry

these fell back

oil prices went down to what they had been before the storm

market volatility
sudden increases and decreases in prices

There's been some suggestion the cyclone

some people have thought that the severe storm

disrupt oil tanker traffic

stop ships that carry oil travelling as usual

Read more about this story

Try a comprehension quiz based on this story

For teachers
Download lesson plan 71 k