Flooding in Oman's capital, Muscat, as a tropical storm hits the country. Photo: Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP via Getty Images
Tropical Cyclone Shaheen killed at least nine people as it slammed coastal areas of Oman and Iran on Sunday, the BBC reports.
Of note: Shaheen is the first tropical cyclone to ever hit Oman's far north, as it triggered flash flooding and heavy rains — with some areas of the desert climate seeing over a year's worth of rain in one day, Yale Climate Connections notes.
The big picture: Shaheen weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall near Oman's capital, Muscat, with maximum sustained winds of 75-93 mph Sunday evening, according to state media.
- Three people died in the country and six others were killed by the storm in southeastern Iran, per Al Jazeera.
- Infrastructure damage was reported in both countries and more than 2,700 people in Oman had to flee to emergency shelters, Al Jazeera notes.
Context: Scientists have directly linked human-caused global warming to extreme weather events.
For the record: A cyclone is the term these countries and others in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific regions use for the same weather phenomenon as a hurricane or typhoon, per NOAA.