Israel needs to begin preparations for the possible impact of a major tsunami, warned the Israeli deputy head of the National Security Council during a meeting with emergency agencies and multiple government ministries.
Tsunamis are not uncommon in the country, and experts warn that they could occur again.
Although it is impossible to predict when and where the next tsunami will strike or the extent of flooding it may cause, the probability increases during periods of heightened seismic activity, such as the recent earthquakes in Greece.
On the island of Santorini, thousands of small earthquakes recorded in recent days have raised concerns that a major earthquake could be inevitable, potentially triggering a tsunami in the Mediterranean Sea.
It should be recalled that hundreds of earthquakes have shaken the Greek islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios.
This has caused concern among residents, officials, and scientists over the potential escalation of seismic activity, which could disrupt neighboring regions in the eastern Mediterranean.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the earthquakes have been occurring at intervals of several minutes since Tuesday, with the strongest recorded on Monday.
More than 11.000 residents have left Santorini, Greece’s main tourist destination, with approximately 7.000 departing by ferry and 4.000 by plane since Wednesday.
In Turkey, more than 100 earthquakes have been recorded this week, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Seismologists have stated that the ongoing earthquakes, occurring in clusters of similar magnitude, indicate a pattern that typically precedes a major earthquake.
The media have reported that the series of tremors could either be foreshocks leading to a larger earthquake or part of a sequence of small tremors that could last for weeks or months.
“There is no serious technology or approach to predict what will happen from now on,” said Costas Papazachos, professor of applied geophysics and seismology at the University of Thessaloniki.
Historically, the region has experienced devastating seismic events, including a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake in 1956, which triggered a nearly 30-meter-high tsunami and caused destruction across Santorini, Crete, and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean, Klix.ba writes.
