Lebanese hearts sank Friday on the news that their cavernous treasure, Jeitta Grotto, failed to secure a spot among the new 7 Natural Wonders of the World competition.

“Unfortunately the provisional results did not reflect the joy in your faces,” Nabil Haddad, the general manager at Jeita, announced in a somber tone.

Haddad said the Dead Sea, the only second Middle East natural splendor among the top 28 contenders, had also failed to make the final cut.

According to the results, the new 7 Natural Wonders are as follows: the Amazon, Brazil; Halong Bay, Vietnam; Iguazu Falls, Argentina-Brazil, Jeju Island, South Korea; Komodo, Indonesia; Puerto Princesa, Philippines and Table Mountain, South Africa.

Jeita Grotto is a compound of crystallized caves located 20 kilometers north of Beirut in the Nahr Kalb Valley. The two giant underground vaults, which are easily accessed by tourists and attract around 400,000 visitors each year, are laden with an awe-inspiring display of stalactites and stalagmites, engrossing much of the 108-meter high chamber.

Source: The Daily Star