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The Oman Observer today celebrates the resilience of the Omanis in facing the trauma and devastation of Cyclone Gonu. There are more photos of people fetching water and silt clearing operations to try and open routes to traffic.

Friends tell me that the situation is probably rather worse than this brave face appears. The death toll is rumoured to be much higher than has been officially admitted, but since this is, as yet, unconfirmed, I don't like to put a number on it.

Four villages in the Quriyat area are said to have been inundated by mud and silt brought down by the wadis.

A Digital Globe image taken by the Quick Bird satellite of Sur on June 7th, shows large expanses of silt and mud both east and west of the town. The dam to the southwest of the town appears to be holding, with water flowing over it. The coast road to Qalhat has been breached and you can see water and mud continuing to flow to the sea. There is still no word from the Omani press about communications with Sharqiyah.

As I don't have a comparative 'before' image, I can't say whether buildings have been covered. You can detect flood waters around buildings, especially on the eastern side of the creek. NB. Jenna was right about Google maps. I have just checked on Google Earth. See comments below.

Damage to the Chedi Hotel in Muscat is so extensive that it is estimated that it will take five months to put right. People ask me what has happened to 'The Wave', the upmarket property development being built at Seeb, but I don't know - yet.

The Oman Observer reports that the Capital Market Authority (CMA) called a meeting of insurers together to urge the companies to resolve Gonu-related claims as quickly as possible. The initial estimate of damage is up to $1 billion, "with insurance firms likely to end up paying as much as half of this amount in insurance claims."

Another page with lots of images of the storm and the aftermath.

The Khaleej Times reports today that telephone lines have been restored, albeit intermittently, to Quriyat and Sur. It's claimed that Sur did not suffer as badly as the residents had feared although they were badly frightened by the storm.

I've compared the June 7th satellite image of Sur quickly with earlier imagery on Google Earth, and can't see any signs of major disruption in the region of Sur, or its hinterland, other than the break in the road to Qalhat. Flooding persists in the June 7th image in the old town bordering the creek.

The breakwater is intact, and you can see small boats sheltering in the harbour.

I suspect though, that date palm gardens inland have been covered with a layer of mud.

I'm not sure exactly what has happened in Quriyat which stands at the edge of the flood plain of Wadi Dayqah. We know that Wadi Dayqah, where a surface water dam is being built, can channel immense amounts of alluvium and water to the coast. Villages in the middle to lower reaches, such as Hayl al Ghaf, where there were mango gardens, have been destroyed.

A ship reached Quriyat with food and essential goods last Friday. Sur apparently remains without supplies although roads are still passable. Lack of usable domestic and drinking water is the biggest problem.

Masirah Island and Al Wusta, where the cyclone was originally predicted to make landfall, experienced only moderate winds and rainfall and have been relatively untouched. 90% of the population of 10,000 is said to have returned to their homes.

I've received these comments from a resident of Muscat:

"Despite the sangfroid of officials and people lucky enough to live outside the path of rampaging flood waters, it is clear that loss and damage is extensive. Eye-witness accounts tell of whole houses collapsing as fast-flowing wadis broke their banks, people swept away in their cars, a 4 year old girl sucked down into the mud and irrecoverable..........

Al Ghubra was particularly badly affected as waters held in check by Al Ansab dam burst through with a tidal wave effect for everyone living downstream. Our house was hit and our tenant submerged by a 6 foot wall of water [which] ripped away our boundary wall and crashed through the patio doors. Fortunately, she and her husband eventually fought their way to the stairs and first floor but it was by all accounts a very narrow escape and 5 days later they are still badly shaken. Two neighbours were not so lucky and were swept away by the waters.

It is difficult to see how people who have lost everything, even those that have jobs, can ever recover. Many Omanis were already living day to day in debt up to their eyebrows in debt. Apart from the costs to government of re-building infrastructure, the cost to the business and tourism sectors is likely to tip many start-ups and SMEs over the edge and cause foreign investors to think again!"

And from another, who I asked where people could send donations to:

"Unfortunately, our government is quite adamant to go it alone and is totally against outside donations. They aren't even allowing the expatriates in Oman to donate to the Oman Charitable Organization."

Which brings me to a considerable conundrum. What are the rulers of Oman doing? Only the Minister of Social Development, Dr Sharifa bint Khalfan al Yahyaeiyah, has reportedly made the effort to go and see damage in Quriyat at first hand and to speak to the residents there. She allegedly "asked all affected families for co-operation and solidarity." Does that count as giving support, or is it a way of telling people that they have to be patient? Translation from the Arabic often leaves something to be desired in the way of meaning.

Other countries would expect their top leaders to at least express solidarity with citizens by going to the scene of an emergency. Is that expecting too much?

Minutes after publishing this, I received a note that ministers have been going out daily. It's just not been reported. Abdullah Abbas, the president of Muscat Municipality, is the public face of authority.