They're used to floods in Muscat - the Muttrah Souq (biggest market, about 5000 vendors) is part of the very historical floodpath and it floods 1-2 feet deep at

They're used to floods in Muscat - the Muttrah Souq (biggest market, about 5000 vendors) is part of the very historical floodpath and it floods 1-2 feet deep at least annually. Generally the merchants don't lose their merchandise to the floods, even when it was built in the 1800's the shops were raised up several feet and the corridors were built with the intention to channel the flow of floodwater to the sea, just 45 meters from the entrance of the Souq. But something of this magnitude really never happens, and I agree with you they were likely as unprepared for it as Texas would be for 8 inches of snow. A photo of the market from earlier this year: https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1149558/oman/weather/timely-alerts-spare-muttrah-souq-shopkeepers-from-losses https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1149558/oman/weather/tim... 2014 TripAdvisor report: https://en.tripadvisor.com.hk/ShowUserReviews-g1940497-d502259-r199666452-Mutrah_Souq-Muscat_Muscat_Governorate.html https://en.tripadvisor.com.hk/ShowUserReviews-g1940497-d5022... They were not so lucky during Cyclone Shaheen in 2021 which had 15 meters of swell -- obviously with one of the main entrances to the souq just 45 meters from the sea that was not kind to them. https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1149558/oman/weather/timely-alerts-spare-muttrah-souq-shopkeepers-from-losses https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1149558/oman/weather/tim...