A storm in the Gulf

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This quiz covers a story about a bad rain and wind storm in the area of the world that normally doesn't get such a storm. Read it and then answer the questions that follow.

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Cyclone lashes Oman

Storm suspends oil, gas exports for second day

REUTERS

Dubai — Cyclone Gonu pummelled Oman yesterday, halting oil and gas exports for a second day and forcing thousands to flee the coast, but it weakened as it moved through the Arabian Sea, a major route for Gulf oil shipments.

The storm, which peaked to a maximum-force Category Five hurricane on Tuesday, has been downgraded to a Category One hurricane, with a maximum sustained wind speed of about 120kph, the US military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre said.

Oman’s meteorology department said the storm’s centre made landfall in Oman around midnight and was moving northwest to Muscat, bringing torrential rains, strong winds and high waves.

‘‘The eastern region has absorbed most of the impact but we expect the rain to continue tonight and early tomorrow as the cyclone moves northwest over Oman,’’ director Ahmed al-Harthi said.

‘‘There could be local rainfall on Friday but it should have finally dissipated by then.’’

The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre said the storm would reach Iran in the next two to three days but would continue to weaken.

A senior Iranian oil official said the cyclone was not expected to disrupt supplies from Opec’s number two exporter as its main terminals were inside the Gulf waterway.

In Oman, however, the country’s only outlet for 650,000 barrels per day of crude exports, Mina al-Fahal, was shut for a second day as was the Sur terminal, which handles 10 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas.

The United Arab Emirates’ eastern port of Fujairah on the Arabian Sea has been cleared of anchored vessels and is closed to all ships until further notice.

The state news agency said more than 100 ships are anchored along the Fujairah coastline and around 180 vessels, mainly oil tankers, pass through the area daily.

Lieutenant-Commander Marn Balolong, meteorologist on the USS

Nimitz, which is in the Gulf, said it would be unsafe for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the next 48 hours but said they would speed up after that to return to schedule.

But shipping sources said there had been no disruption to oil tanker transit so far.

Meanwhile, strong winds and heavy rain turned the deserted streets of Muscat into rivers as people heeded warnings to stay at home or shelter in buildings that could withstand strong winds.

‘‘So far we have not confirmed any casualties. But the power is out and phones are disconnected in many areas so we just don’t know for sure,’’ Abdallah al-Harthi, spokesman for the Oman relief committee, said.

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Choose the best answer for each of the following according to information given in the story.

1. This story was published when
a. the storm was at its strongest.
b. the storm was finished.
c. the storm was beginning.
d. the storm was losing strength.

2. The area hit hardest by the storm was
a. Oman.  
b. United Arab Emirates.
c. Iran.  
d. the Strait of Hormuz.


3. The highest winds measured in the storm were
a. 120 kph.
b. slightly less than 120 kph.
c. slightly more than 120 kph.
d. much more than 120 kph.

4. It is clear that for a while the storm stopped
a. all oil exports in the area.
b. most, but not all, oil exports in the area.
c. very little of the oil exports in the area.
d. all economic activity in the area.

5. The story says the people of Muscat "heeded" warnings. This means they:
a. failed to pay any attention to them.
b. were late in taking the warnings seriously.
c. followed the warnings seriously.
d. were not aware of the warnings.

6. According to the story, how many people were killed or injured in the storm?
a. None
b. It was unclear when the story was published
c. Less than 10
d. More than 10

7. From the story, if you were the captain of a large tanker travelling in the Gulf at the time the story was published, it would be best to
a. head for the port of Fujairah.
b. head for the Mina al-Fahal terminal.
c. simply keep going.
d. turn around and go back.

8. Which word from the story is similar in meaning to "weakened"?
a. lashed (headline)  
b. pummelled (paragraph 1)
c. peaked (p2)
d. dissipated (p5)



Answers

1. d
2. a
3. d
4. b
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. d

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:09 AM