Latest news with #AliFarajAl-Kathiri
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Tourists drawn to Oman's sinkholes
SHIHAYT: An aerial picture shows a view of the Sheeheet sinkhole in Oman's Dhofar region near the city of Taqah.- AFP OMAN: Shrouded in fog in the lush mountains of southern Oman, a giant chasm plunges into the landscape, echoing with mysterious sounds that have spawned myths and legends among nearby tribes. This enormous sinkhole is one of four that dot Dhofar governorate, including one of the world's biggest: the yawning Kahf Teiq, 211 meters deep and 150 meters wide. At the Tawi Atair sinkhole, tourists potter around on concrete paths and stairways. Not all of the holes are so welcoming, however. The sheer drop of the Sheeheet pit, a 40-minute drive away along mountain roads, is ringed with slippery mud, prompting the authorities to put up a fence and warning signs. During AFP's visit, one tourist slipped and slid perilously close to the edge. Dhofar's governor, Marwan bin Turki Al-Said, gave assurances in a briefing attended by AFP that safety was a priority at the sinkholes. Tawi Atair means 'Well of Birds' in Dhofar's regional language, a reference to the avian twittering, distorted by echoes, that reverberates off the rock. It lay unknown to the outside world until 1997, when a team of Slovenian researchers working with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University brought it to international attention. Now the sinkholes are marketed as a tourist attraction in Dhofar, whose temperate climate draws many visitors from the Gulf during its punishing summers. Long on the margins of the mainstream tourism circuit, Oman as a whole is increasingly attracting attention from international travelers seeking natural beauty and authenticity. The country welcomed nearly four million visitors in 2024, with the government aiming to triple that figure by 2040 by focusing on sustainable tourism. Dhofar folklore has it that the sinkholes were created by meteorite strikes, direct hits from outer space that gouged the colossal craters. But Ali Faraj Al-Kathiri, a geologist based in Dhofar, explains that water seeping into the porous limestone forms an acid that then dissolves it, creating the caverns over a period of thousands of years. The Oman sinkholes are not to be confused with the 'Well of Hell', the foul-smelling, pitch-black Barhout pit across the border in eastern Yemen that is reputed to be a prison for demons. - AFP
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Arab Times
The Truth Behind Oman's Giant Hole in the Earth
MUSCAT, Aug 9: Shrouded in mist high in the emerald-green mountains of southern Oman lies a natural wonder as breathtaking as it is mysterious — a vast, gaping chasm plunging deep into the earth, its echoing depths fuelling centuries of myths among local tribes. This dramatic sinkhole is one of four scattered across the Dhofar governorate, a region home to some of the most spectacular geological formations in the Middle East — including the mighty Kahf Teiq, one of the world's largest, measuring a staggering 211 metres (692ft) deep and 150 metres wide. At the more accessible Tawi Atair sinkhole, visitors wander along concrete paths and staircases, gazing into the abyss. Yet not all of Dhofar's pits are so forgiving. The Sheeheet sinkhole, a 40-minute drive away along twisting mountain roads, is surrounded by slick mud, prompting authorities to install fences and stern warning signs. Even so, danger is never far away — during a recent visit by the Associated Press, one tourist lost their footing, sliding alarmingly close to the edge. Marwan bin Turki A Said, Dhofar's governor, has insisted safety at these natural sites is a top priority, speaking at a briefing attended by AFP. Tawi Atair — its name meaning 'Well of Birds' in the region's local tongue — earned the moniker from the chorus of birdsong that, distorted by the cavern's acoustics, resonates hauntingly through the rock. Unknown to the outside world until 1997, it was brought to international attention when Slovenian researchers, working with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University, documented its remarkable scale. Today, it is firmly on the tourist trail, luring visitors from across the Gulf eager to escape the punishing summer heat for Dhofar's cooler, mist-draped climate. Local folklore claims these colossal craters were formed by meteorite strikes — cosmic cannonballs from the heavens slamming into the earth. But science tells another story. Ali Faraj Al-Kathiri, a Dhofar-based geologist, explains they are the result of water slowly seeping into the porous limestone, creating a weak acid that dissolves the rock over thousands of years, eventually collapsing into the caverns we see today. And lest they be confused with another infamous hole in the Arabian Peninsula, these Omani sinkholes bear no relation to the notorious 'Well of Hell' just across the Yemeni border — a foul-smelling, pitch-black pit long whispered about as a prison for demons.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Express Tribune
Mind the gap: tourists drawn to giant sinkholes
Shrouded in fog in the lush mountains of southern Oman, a giant chasm plunges into the landscape, echoing with mysterious sounds that have spawned myths and legends among nearby tribes. This enormous sinkhole is one of four that dot Dhofar governorate, including one of the world's biggest: the yawning Kahf Teiq, 211 metres deep and 150 metres wide. At the Tawi Atair sinkhole, tourists potter around on concrete paths and stairways. Not all of the holes are so welcoming, however. The sheer drop of the Sheeheet pit, a 40-minute drive away along mountain roads, is ringed with slippery mud, prompting the authorities to put up a fence and warning signs. During AFP's visit, one tourist slipped and slid perilously close to the edge. Dhofar's governor, Marwan bin Turki Al-Said, gave assurances in a briefing attended by AFP that safety was a priority at the sinkholes. Tawi Atair means "Well of Birds" in Dhofar's regional language, a reference to the avian twittering, distorted by echoes, that reverberates off the rock. It lay unknown to the outside world until 1997, when a team of Slovenian researchers working with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University brought it to international attention. Now the sinkholes are marketed as a tourist attraction in Dhofar, whose temperate climate draws many visitors from the Gulf during its punishing summers. Long on the margins of the mainstream tourism circuit, Oman as a whole is increasingly attracting attention from international travellers seeking natural beauty and authenticity. The country welcomed nearly four million visitors in 2024, with the government aiming to triple that figure by 2040 by focusing on sustainable tourism. Dhofar folklore has it that the sinkholes were created by meteorite strikes, direct hits from outer space that gouged the colossal craters. But Ali Faraj Al-Kathiri, a geologist based in Dhofar, explains that water seeping into the porous limestone forms an acid that then dissolves it, creating the caverns over a period of thousands of years. The Oman sinkholes are not to be confused with the "Well of Hell", the foul-smelling, pitch-black Barhout pit across the border in eastern Yemen that is reputed to be a prison for demons.
Gulf Insider
5 days ago
- Gulf Insider
Oman's Giant Sinkholes Draw Tourists — And Safety Concerns
Shrouded in fog in the lush mountains of southern Oman, a giant chasm plunges into the landscape, echoing with mysterious sounds that have spawned myths and legends among nearby tribes. This enormous sinkhole is one of four that dot Dhofar governorate, including one of the world's biggest: the yawning Kahf Teiq, up to 211 metres (692 feet) deep and 150 metres wide. At the Tawi Atair sinkhole, tourists potter around on concrete paths and stairways. Not all of the holes are so welcoming, however. The sheer drop of the Sheeheet pit, a 40-minute drive away along mountain roads, is ringed with slippery mud, prompting the authorities to put up a fence and warning signs. During AFP's visit, one tourist slipped and slid perilously close to the edge. Dhofar's governor, Marwan bin Turki A Said, gave assurances that safety was a priority at the sinkholes, in a briefing attended by AFP. Tawi Atair means 'Well of Birds' in Dhofar's regional language, a reference to the avian twittering, distorted by echoes, that reverberates off the rock. It lay unknown to the outside world until 1997, when a team of Slovenian researchers working with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University brought it to international attention. Now the sinkholes are marketed as a tourist attraction in Dhofar, whose temperate climate draws many visitors from the Gulf during its punishing summers. Dhofar folklore has it that the sinkholes were created by meteorite strikes, direct hits from outer space that gouged the colossal craters. But Ali Faraj Al-Kathiri, a geologist based in Dhofar, explains that water seeping into the porous limestone forms an acid that dissolves it, creating the caverns over a period of thousands of years. The Oman sinkholes are not to be confused with the 'Well of Hell', the foul-smelling, pitch-black Barhout pit across the border in eastern Yemen that is reputed as a prison for demons.
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Mind the gap: tourists drawn to Oman's giant sinkholes
WILAYAT TAQUH, Oman — Shrouded in fog in the lush mountains of southern Oman, a giant chasm plunges into the landscape, echoing with mysterious sounds that have spawned myths and legends among nearby tribes. This enormous sinkhole is one of four that dot Dhofar governorate, including one of the world's biggest: the yawning Kahf Teiq, up to 211 metres (692 feet) deep and 150 metres wide. At the Tawi Atair sinkhole, tourists potter around on concrete paths and stairways. Not all of the holes are so welcoming, however. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The sheer drop of the Sheeheet pit, a 40-minute drive away along mountain roads, is ringed with slippery mud, prompting the authorities to put up a fence and warning signs. During AFP's visit, one tourist slipped and slid perilously close to the edge. Dhofar's governor, Marwan bin Turki Al-Said, gave assurances that safety was a priority at the sinkholes, in a briefing attended by AFP. Tawi Atair means 'Well of Birds' in Dhofar's regional language, a reference to the avian twittering, distorted by echoes, that reverberates off the rock. It lay unknown to the outside world until 1997, when a team of Slovenian researchers working with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University brought it to international attention. Now the sinkholes are marketed as a tourist attraction in Dhofar, whose temperate climate draws many visitors from the Gulf during its punishing summers. Dhofar folklore has it that the sinkholes were created by meteorite strikes, direct hits from outer space that gouged the colossal craters. But Ali Faraj Al-Kathiri, a geologist based in Dhofar, explains that water seeping into the porous limestone forms an acid that dissolves it, creating the caverns over a period of thousands of years. The Oman sinkholes are not to be confused with the 'Well of Hell,' the foul-smelling, pitch-black Barhout pit across the border in eastern Yemen that is reputed as a prison for demons.
