(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Muscat- Expected to be a destination for tourist adventurers, a team of explorers from the Speleological Team of Oman has discovered another cave in Al Hamra, Dakhliyah.

Located about 15km west of Al Hoota Cave and about 2km west of the village of Hail al Shas, it is located to the south of Jebel Shams.

A geological masterpiece, the Kittat al Suwairat Cave will enable researchers to study properties of different rock formations and groundwater.

Speaking toMuscat Daily , Dr Mohammed al Kindi, a geologist and one of the team members said, 'The Kittat al Suwairat Cave has the potential to be a destination for tourist adventurers.'

The 11-member team made its first descent on November 3 last year to undertake a survey and completed it on January 25 this year. The team had to stop its work in between during heavy rainfall in the area.

During the survey, the team developed a series of cross sections, with different orientations, as well as a complete map of the cave, till the pond. 'The cave ends with a large pond about one kilometre from the mouth of the cave. Its ceiling is in continuous contact with the pond and there is no clear outlet through the roof. The team plans to dive into this pool using special equipment in the next few days.'

Elaborating further Dr Kindi said there are three main areas in the cave that require ropes to explore. 'The first is located at the beginning of the cave and is about 80m deep. The second is located immediately after the first and is about 30m deep. The third is about 200m inside the cave, after the second drop, and it is 12m deep.'

The passage of the underground cave follows a path similar to the valleys and the shafts above, and its path descends from an altitude of approximately 1,300m above sea level to the south.

'At the bottom of the first vertical hole there is a small cave room, followed by a series of vertical tunnels. Beyond the vertical shafts, a wide and long cave tunnel extends to hundreds of metres and features wonderful cave deposits, isolated cave rooms and shallow water lakes, which represents the main part of the cave.

'Although the passage generally does not require the use of ropes and climbing equipment, walking through it requires attention because the floor and boulders here are generally wet in many places,' said the geologist.

Adventurers should exercise caution as the place is slippery.

'The cave ends with a lake in direct contact to the ceiling of the cave. The trend of the cave suggests that it extends for hundreds of metres beyond the lake.'

The Speleological Team is affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism and the Geological Society of Oman, said Dr Kindi.

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