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.
The “Great and Terrible Wilderness”
http://www.varchive.org/ce/baalbek/desert.htm
Affidavit
http://www.varchive.org/ce/affidavit.htm
[snip] Harras in desert of Arabia are meteorites fields. Lava streamed on the surface of the Earth not only from volcanoes, but also from clefts. Continents and seas changed places. Rivers disappeared, others appeared, still others inversed their direction (f.e. Jordan, that flow previously to the Mediterranean, Dead sea being not in existence). [/snip]
The End of the Early Bronze Age (see note #3)
http://www.varchive.org/itb/bronzage.htm
The Overthrow of the Cities of the Plain
http://www.varchive.org/itb/overthrow.htm
The Age of the Dead Sea
http://www.varchive.org/itb/deadsea.htm
The Great Rift and the Jordan
http://www.varchive.org/itb/rift.htm