Quicksand features quite heavily in Oman, especially on the sabhka wastes of the coastal peninsula of Bar al Hikmann and as my recent ” H is for Help”  A to Z challenge post describes, much care needs to be taken after heavy rainstorms. 

I pass another area every time I visit Oman, on the road from the border crossing at Mezayed/Al Ain to Ibri, which is nowhere near the coast, so I’m wondering why this region is susceptible to quicksand.

Wiki tells me:

Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular material (such as sand or silt), clay, and water. Quicksand forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that loses strength and cannot support weight.

I can’t resist taking photos of the dramatic signs warning “all ye who venture here to beware”…

You can’t miss this, so whose fault is it if you get stuck!

A pictorial dire warning…

Looks like this just could be “saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated”….

The result, much agitation in sand & humans…