In March 2016, Pierre Petit and his team returned from France to Oman to complete the filming of a documentary I produced, with the support of the Ministry of Information, showcasing the natural beauty of Oman.
Pierre, along with Gérôme and Aude, had previously visited Muscat a few months earlier, but heavy rains had prevented us from completing the project, as the tracks leading to our filming sites were washed away.
On March 19th, the weather forecast predicted heavy rains in the Eastern Hajar, starting at 4 PM. We planned to reach Umq Bir early in the afternoon to capture the flood on film.
We departed Muscat early in the morning. After three hours, we arrived near Qalhat, where we left the coastal highway and drove another two hours to reach Al Wiljah, the last accessible village by car and the starting point of Wadi Tiwi.
The road between Wiljah and Umq Bir had been destroyed by heavy rains a few months earlier, so we enlisted the help of our friend Mohamed from Al Wiljah. He assisted us in transporting our filming equipment, camping gear, and supplies on the backs of two donkeys.
Our group consisted of eight people: Pierre, the director; his assistant Aude; Gérôme, the drone cameraman; my wife Marta; my children Mona and Kevin; Mohamed; and myself.
We began our trek at noon. The sky was overcast, and I estimated we would reach Umq Bir around 3 PM.
Mona, Kevin, and Gérôme maintained a steady pace alongside Mohamed, who guided the donkeys, while the rest of us followed, occasionally stopping to take photographs along the way.
At 2:30 PM, about 15 minutes from our destination, we heard thunder, and soon after, the rain began to pour. We had to rush to reach the village before the floodwaters rose, or we would have been trapped on the opposite side of the wadi, forced to wait hours for the water to recede before crossing.
The rain was unlike anything I had seen in my 20 years in Oman.
We managed to cross the wadi before it began to flow and rejoined the rest of our group safely. We sought shelter under a massive boulder, waiting for the rain to stop so we could set up camp.
Twenty minutes later, the rain ceased, and Mohamed called out urgently, “Khaled, come quickly!”
We hurried to the right bank of the wadi where Mohamed was standing. There, we witnessed a powerful surge of brown water roaring down the wadi bed with a deafening noise. It was a terrifying yet awe-inspiring sight.
Everyone quickly began filming and taking photographs of this extraordinary moment.
In less than five minutes, the water level in the wadi, which was about 20 meters wide, rose from zero to approximately two meters.
Umq Bir was soon encircled by numerous waterfalls, some plunging from heights of 400 meters or more.
After this extraordinary display of nature’s power, we set up camp and gathered enough dry wood to start a fire, grilling “mishkak” (Omani goat skewers) and Lebanese kefta (minced meat with onions and parsley).
Experiencing such a powerful natural event underscores how rapidly a dry canyon can transform into a raging torrent capable of sweeping away everything in its path.
After enjoying a delicious dinner prepared by Marta, our family’s “cordon bleu,” we retired for the night.
The following morning, the wadi’s water had receded to a gentle flow, allowing Pierre to film Umq Bir in its post-flood state.
By midday, we had completed our filming and returned to Al Wiljah. We reached our vehicles around 4 PM and returned to Muscat, pleased to have captured the footage of the flood that was essential for our documentary.
If you plan to visit a wadi, always check the weather forecast in advance and avoid going if the conditions are unstable. Follow the Royal Oman Police’s advice. Taking unnecessary risks can endanger not only your life but also the lives of rescuers.
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