Tropical cyclone Phet barrelled toward the coast of the Gulf Arab state of Oman today, strengthening quickly on its way to becoming a powerful category five storm, according to Reuters. Phet was not expected to make landfall in Sultanate of Oman, but should instead turn to skim parallel to the Sultanate's shore before roaring northeast toward Pakistan, according to tropical storm watch website www.tropicalstormrisk.com. Phet would steer clear of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of all seaborne oil trade passes, or about 17 million barrels per day (bpd). Phet was a Category 3 storm on Wednesday, with sustained winds of over 130 mph (over 200 kph). It was expected to become a Category 5 storm, the most powerful with winds of over 156 mph (250 kph), in the next 24 hours. Phet would lash Oman's eastern region shores with hurricane-strength winds through Friday before moving northeast. It was expected to weaken before coming ashore just south of Karachi as a Category 3 storm on Sunday. -- SPA
