Encroaching sands have left little evidence that the Omani village of Wadi al-Murr ever existed, but former inhabitants and curious visitors are coming to rediscover the hamlet engulfed by the desert.

Salem al-Arimi, originally from the area, looked out nostalgically over the expanse.

According to local elders, "all the houses in the village were invaded by the sand that assailed them 30 years ago, forcing the inhabitants to leave their homes," he said.

Building tops and sections of stone wall emerge here and there, bearing witness to those who once lived here.

Deserts are expanding all over the world, pushed on by climate change, and affected populations have few weapons to fight back.

Wadi al-Murr's inhabitants, who mostly relied on pastoral activities, had to give up their village, swelling the ranks of those migrating to towns and cities.

- Nostalgia -

Located at the bottom of a valley nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital Muscat, Wadi al-Murr is cut off from main roads and only reachable via a long, rough track.

Its isolation, including from the electricity and water grids, contributed to its slide into obscurity.

But that has not prevented erstwhile residents from returning to visit, along with trekking enthusiasts who take desert hikes in the region.

Mohammed al-Ghanbousi, a former inhabitant, said the moving dunes had re-exposed some dwellings after they were covered by sand.

This phenomenon has prompted "nostalgic people to visit the village, whose structures still stand because they are built from stone," he said.

"The village has recently been included in trekking tours and also attracts photography enthusiasts," he added.

A mosque that sits within the village, which in its heyday had about 30 houses and 150 inhabitants, is one building that has resurfaced.

Mohammed al-Alaoui said that when his mother learnt some homes had reappeared, she asked him to take her back.

"She often wants to go, and she likes to be there while she relates her memories of the old days, and sheds a few tears," he said.

- Tourism -

Rashed al-Ameri is among the Omani tourists who have come to discover the hamlet swallowed by the desert.

He travelled from Sur, hundreds of kilometres away, with two friends who were also keen to see Wadi al-Murr.

Oman, which is trying to diversify its oil-reliant economy, is seeking to develop its tourism industry -- capitalising on its rich heritage, scenic coasts and stunning mountain geography.

The sultanate attracted three million foreign tourists in 2019, but like almost everywhere else, the novel coronavirus pandemic reduced visitors to a trickle in 2020.

Ameri is among those who believe Wadi al-Murr could easily be included on Oman's tourist trail.

"What amazed me was that the force of nature could erase an entire village," he said.

"And what's more amazing is how this place, with its old walls, resists these assaults."

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Drought of the century in the Middle Ages - with parallels to climate change today?
Leipzig, Germany (SPX) Jan 06, 2021
The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age was apparently accompanied by severe droughts between 1302 and 1307 in Europe; this preceded the wet and cold phase of the 1310s and the resulting great famine of 1315-21. In the journal Climate of the Past, researchers from the Leibniz Institutes for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) and Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) write that the 1302-07 weather patterns display similarities to the 2018 weather anomaly, in which ... read more