Oman - the story of a village that disappeared 30 years ago, and longing brings it back to life
Al-Ghanbousi: As a result of erosion, parts of the (village) features have begun to unfold
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The Omani village of Wadi Al-Murr almost completely disappeared 30 years ago after it was blotted out by the sand, prompting residents to leave it, but it is currently attracting numbers of former residents and curious visitors who want to rediscover the area in the heart of the desert.
Nothing remains of the village except for some roofs and walls that testify to the existence of earlier life at the site, which disappeared after a sandstorm covering everything.
The village is located in the center of the Wilayat of Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali in the South Sharqiyah Governorate, about 400 km from the capital, Muscat.
It is difficult to access because it is not connected to the main road network.
"All the houses of the village are located under the sand that I buried 30 years ago," said Omani Salem Al-Arimi, who traces its origin to the village.
The phenomenon of "sand encroachment" is not limited to the Sultanate of Oman, and according to experts, it is linked to climate change.
This phenomenon was observed in several regions of the world.
The residents of the village at the time were not able to face this phenomenon, especially because of its remoteness, isolation, and the lack of electricity and water supply networks.
The residents, who were dependent on raising animals for subsistence, were forced to flee the Wadi Al-Murr village to neighboring villages.
According to Al-Arimi, the village elders recounted that “people tried at that time to flee with their families” towards the neighboring villages, but “others could not escape from them and were buried under the sand.”
However, this does not prevent the former residents from returning to their old village to visit it, in addition to others who come to visit, camp, and those who love hiking and mountain walks.
Muhammad Al-Ghanbousi, who was living in the village in the past, believes that "due to erosion, some minor parts of (the village) features have begun to unfold."
He continues, "The village still maintains the strength of its dwellings because it is built of stone and clinging to its beauty, which made it finally a destination for some nature and photography lovers."
The mosque of the village, which housed 30 residences and 150 residents, was also apparent by sand movement.
Muhammad Al-Alawi says that, “With the discovery of some of the village’s features a few years ago, my mother asked me to visit the place.”
He added, "Indeed, I took her there, and now whenever she is nostalgic to visit the abandoned village, we take her there and she remembers many of the abandoned family homes and village landmarks, and she tells us many stories and often cries."
Rashid al-Ameri came with two friends from the far Omani wilayat of Tire to visit the village.
"I was amazed at how powerful nature was," he says.
And how it was able to completely wipe out a village by obliterating all its features, but the most surprising thing is how the features of the village that are gradually revealed are still preserving their old details in full.
He explains that the story of the exotic village and its surrounding nature is a magnet for visitors.
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