Bimmah Sinkhole (Arabic ?????? ????? Hawaiyat Najm) is a water-filled depression, structurally a sinkhole, in the limestone of eastern Muscat Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman. A lake of turquoise waters, it is 50 m by 70 m wide and approximately 20 m deep. It is only about 600 m away from the sea, between the coastal towns of ?ib?b and Bimmah. The sinkhole was formed by a collapse of the surface layer due to dissolution of the underlying limestone. However, locals believe that it was created by a meteorite, 'Hawaiyat Najm', which translates to 'The Falling Star' in Arabic, and hence the name.
To preserve, protect the sinkhole, the local municipality developed a park, Hawiyat Najm Park (Haweat Najm Park), around it, along with a stairway leading down to the lake.
Video Bimmah Sinkhole
Geology
The original cavern formed in the limestone of the Abat formation which lies below the more massive Seeb formation. When the cavern grew too large the rocks of the Seeb collapsed into it forming a sinkhole. It formed so close to the sea because of the increased subterranean water flow that occurred down-gradient.
Maps Bimmah Sinkhole
Notes and references
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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