This paper reports on the development of ORP-Sandstorms, an open-source, web-based simulation which provides students with virtual experiences of the impact of global natural disasters, such as earthquakes and sandstorms. The project is a collaboration between an open-software developer and an educational technology researcher. The simulation utilizes a number of open datasets, including those available in the Saudi Open Data portal, to estimate the impact of such natural events on familiar local landmarks. Open data allows contextualization of abstract concepts in a local setting, to enable students to relate more easily. Understanding the impacts and benefits of this contextualization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) context will form a core component of the present educational research. The KSA open data is crucial for testing adaptability to new regions and communities. A key outcome of this work is documenting the adaptability achievements and challenges of taking the established OurRagingPlanet platform, developed mainly from Northern Ireland datasets, and leveraging novel uses of KSA open data to re-contextualize ORP-Sandstorms for KSA students.