An earthquake was detected in Saudi Arabia: here's everything we know
Thankfully, no damages were reported
If you’re in or around the Jazan region, you may have felt a tremor yesterday. The Saudi Geological Survey recorded an earthquake in the southern Red Sea, approximately 150 kilometres west of the city of Jazan. Here’s everything we know about the last earthquake in Saudi Arabia.
The tremor measured 4.68 on the Richter scale, according to Saudi Gazette. According to Tariq Aba Al-Khail, the official spokesperson of the authority, the event was detected by the National Seismic Monitoring Network at 3.04pm local time.
The earthquake resulted from tectonic activity and rifting along the Red Sea fault line. Tariq Aba Al-Khail emphasised that there’s no cause for worry, as the location of the quake lies far from inhabited areas and national borders. In a press statement, Al-Khail stated that “the situation is safe.”
Earthquakes explained: Are they happening often?
Earthquakes in Saudi Arabia are infrequent and usually occur in the western portion of the country near the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aqaba, close to the boundaries of the Arabian Plate.
Just last month, the Eastern Province also went through a minor earthquake. And at the time, the head of the detection centre at SGS, Tariq Mansoob, stated that six earthquakes were detected in the Kingdom between March and April, all of which fell within the 3.5 to 4.5 range.
Small quakes are a “good sign”, Mansoob said, because if the pressure continues to build without release, it will ultimately result in a major, potentially devastating quake.
Visit: sgs.gov.sa
