At least 12 people have died from Cyclone Gonu in the Arabian Peninsula sultanate, a spokesman for the Royal Oman Police told Oman TV today.

Cyclone Gonu battered Oman’s coast yesterday with fierce winds and torrential rains, forcing thousands from their homes and shutting down oil installations before heading towards the world’s most important crude oil tanker route.

Oman evacuated tens of thousands today and closed the major port of Sohar as a weakening Cyclone Gonu roared toward the Strait of Hormuz - the world's major transport artery for Persian Gulf oil.