A photo showing sea water recession in a beach in Port Said in northern Egypt. Social Media/Mohamed Jaaouda
Concerns intensified after news of a possible strong earthquake in the region circulated on social media, sparking fears among the population.
During a meeting with Minister of Local Development Manal Awad, the governors of Alexandria, Port Said, Dakahlia, Kafr El-Sheikh, Damietta, and Beheira received instructions to establish an operations room to monitor updates and coordinate necessary measures.
The governors were also instructed to coordinate with rescue companies in their respective governorates and take appropriate actions in the event of strong recession currents.
How it all started?
Renowned Dutch seismologist and President of the Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGEOS) in the Netherlands Frank Hoogerbeets first spoke about the possibility of an earthquake in the eastern Mediterranean basin.
He warned on his Facebook page of the possibility of a "stronger shake" in the Mediterranean. His warnings followed several magnitude 4+ earthquakes that struck several countries in the region such as Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Greece over the past week.
No casualties or significant damage were reported in these recent quakes.
SSGEOS monitors celestial body geometry and its correlation with seismic activity.
Hoogerbeets, who predicted the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023, shared a map highlighting the Sea of Crete as a region “capable of producing significant seismic activity.”
Separately, he referred to the historical earthquake in 365 AD, which registered a magnitude of 8.6 and generated a destructive tsunami.
The phenomenon impacted the entire eastern Mediterranean basin, including Alexandria, the Nile Delta, and other coastal areas, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives.
Impending tsunami?
In response to the circulating rumours, the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) released a statement denying any unusual seismic activities in the Mediterranean.
NRIAG confirmed today that its monitoring stations across Egypt, including the North Coast, have detected no abnormal levels of seismic activity.
The institute urged citizens not to heed rumours and assured them updates would be provided in case of any changes in seismic activity in Egypt and the Mediterranean.
Notorious past
While the Mediterranean region is known for its frequent seismic activity, including earthquakes and tsunamis, occurrences of tsunamis in Egypt are rare.
Since 365 AD, only three tsunamis have been recorded, according to Worlddata.info.
Notably, a large and severe earthquake struck the Gulf of Aqaba, including Egypt, on 22 November 1995. Although deadly, the quake generated only a small tsunami that affected the port of Nuweiba in Egypt, Eilat, and Aqaba beaches.
An official from the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries explained that the current recession of sea water in some coastal cities across Egypt is a normal phenomenon associated with recent seismic activity on the other side of the Mediterranean.
The official noted that a recession of 3-5 metres occurred in these coastal areas and that certain beaches have been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure until the situation is thoroughly assessed.
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