Social networking sites in several Arab countries were buzzing with talk about a phenomenon described as terrifying, after the waters of the Mediterranean receded by several meters, which activists linked to the repercussions of the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey, while experts reveal the secret of the Western phenomenon.
On February 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria, killing more than 45,000 people and displacing more than a million others, with an economic cost expected to run into billions of dollars, according to Reuters.
Egypt
In Egypt, a state of terror prevailed on social media, after activists circulated posts and pictures talking about “the receding waters of the Mediterranean Sea on the shores of North Sinai Governorate.”
Some activists linked the phenomenon to the repercussions of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and talked about the possibility that a “coming destructive tsunami” would follow.
And media outlets in Egypt confirmed that there was a “noticeable decline in the Mediterranean coast off Sinai,” and the people of the city of Arish, located on the Egyptian Peninsula, confirmed, “that they were surprised, since Saturday, by this phenomenon on a number of beaches.”
The residents added that the beach’s retreat ranged between 10 to 15 meters, and this is a phenomenon that occurs for the first time without specifying the reasons for its decline, according to the website.Kiro 24“.
However, some experts revealed the scientific truth behind this phenomenon, and confirmed that what happened was “a decrease in the water level of the Mediterranean, and not a receding at that alleged distance.”
The head of the National Center for Astronomical and Geophysical Research in Egypt, Jad Al-Qadi, said, “The decrease in the water level in those beaches is a natural phenomenon that occurs every year, and is linked to the tidal movement related to the movement of the moon around the Earth.”
He denied the association of this phenomenon with the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey.
Lebanon
In Lebanon, activists circulated pictures and video clips showing “sea water receding” in several coastal areas, which caused uproar and a state of fear.
Some activists linked the phenomenon to the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria recently.
In the wake of the uproar, the National Council for Scientific Research issued a Explanatory statementIn which he revealed the truth about the “phenomenon”, and said that “the decline of sea water is scientifically linked to the movement of tides, which can be stronger in some years.”
He denied the validity of what is being circulated about the decline of the sea due to the inevitability of the arrival of tsunamis, stressing that “no earthquake has been recorded in the Mediterranean that could cause such waves.”
Libya
In Libya, residents of the city of Benghazi circulated pictures and videos showing sea water retreating to unprecedented distances.
Experts attributed what happened to the “tides”, and said that it is a two-stage natural phenomenon that occurs in the waters of the oceans and seas, according to the “Tidal” website.Libyan scene“.
According to experts, the water level is gradually returning to normal, and therefore “the phenomenon does not cause concern.”
Algeria
In Algeria, clips and publications have also spread indicating the decline of sea water on the country’s coasts.
And the phenomena continue on the exotic coasts of Algeria. The sea level decreased, which surprised the fishermen and those who knew the secrets of the seas… May God have mercy on us.. copied
Posted by Fish pilgrims sea on Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Activists talked about the “withdrawal of water on the eastern shores”, and some monitored the decline of water on the western shores, and activists circulated video clips monitoring the phenomenon, which caused an uproar among Algerians.
The head of the Astronomical Scientific Society “Al-Buzjani” in Algeria, Jamal Fahis, confirmed that the decline of sea water is due to the phenomenon of periodic astronomical tides.
He reassured the Algerians that the water level is gradually returning to its normal state and that the phenomenon does not cause concern, according to the newspaper.Sunrise” The algerian.
Tunisia
Tunisia witnessed 12 earthquakes off the eastern coast of Tunisia during the last 5 days, with a magnitude ranging between 2.4 and 4.1 degrees, according to “Tunisia”.Tunisian Observatory of Weather and Climate“.
These are considered “light and medium tremors”, and they occurred in the middle of the sea, far from the population, and do not pose a danger and will not cause tsunamis, according to the Observatory.
The waters of the Mediterranean receded off several Tunisian shores, but the Observatory stressed that “the decline and recession has nothing to do with earthquakes.”
The Observatory confirmed that this decline is “a natural phenomenon related to tides and sea currents”, which was also confirmed by experts in their interview with Al-Wataniya TV.
