I grew up in the Alps and water is indeed much more dangerous in mountainous areas, especially if you happen to live in a place where it rarely rains. Because when it rains all kinds of things will take their path down the mountains.

Now the people in the alps adjusted for that over the centuries of living there, with the price paid in destroyed houses and killed people. Many of those lessons stayed, some had to be relearned, because of hubris.

My parents were recently in Oman and I can't really imagine that the region is prepared for this.