Harrat Rahat Elevation 1,744 m (5,722 ft)
Location Saudi Arabia
Coordinates 23°5’0” N 39°47’0” E
Geology Type Volcanic field
Last eruption June to July 1256 Harrat Rahat is a volcanic lava field in Saudi Arabia. In 1256 AD a 0.5 cu km lava flow erupted from six aligned scoria cones and traveled 23 km to within 4 km of the holy city of Medina: this was its last eruption. There were earlier eruptions. It is the biggest lava field in Saudi Arabia. Nearby is the Al Wahbah crater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrat_Rahat
Es Safa is a striking basaltic volcanic field located to the southeast of Damascus, Syria, seen in an image released today. It lies within the larger Harrat Ash Shamah the largest volcanic field on the Arabian tectonic plate . Harrat Ash Shamah parallels the Red Sea and extends from northeastern Israel, through southern Syria and Jordan, and into Saudi Arabia, covering an area of over 19,000 300 square miles (50,000 square kilometers).
Although we are left with the impression the arabs (Amu) fled the Peninsula to escape from a massive flood, the vast regions of harrats, (lava fields) would indicate that their own legends are credible. They fled, and many, with their large herds, were overtaken and perished in the lava-flows.
Regretfully, I am unable to locate the source of these ancient arab legends on the web at the moment.
http://www.specialtyinterests.net/hyksos.html
The Amu or Hyksos were driven out of Arabia after a great plague, earthquake and flood.
Papyrus Ipuwer “A foreign tribe from abroad has come to the land.” 3:1; “What has happened? ... through it is the cause the Asiatics to know the condition of the land.” 15:1. See: The ancient Arab author Macoudi, “L’Abrege des merveilles” and “Les Praires d’or”, Vol. III, p.101; Kitab-Alaghaniy (trans. Fresnel), pp. 206ff.
Many perished during the migration in a sudden flood that swept the land of Arabia.
Kitab-Alaghaniy (transl. Fresnel), p. 207.
See also evidence of such floods from modern satellite pictures.