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Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Science
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Tremors rattle Egypt - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt recently suffered two successive tremors. Reem Leila tries to find out if the country is becoming an earthquake zone. In the past couple of weeks, Egypt experienced two earthquakes. The first, of a magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale, took place on 14 May. Eight days later, residents woke up to a 6.2 earthquake. They were felt by wide segments of the population across various governorates — from Greater Cairo and the Delta to the northern coast. Although the epicentres of both quakes were located south of the Greek island of Crete, hundreds of kilometres away from Egyptian territory, their strength, exceeding six according to the Richter scale, was enough to concern Egyptians. Citizens reacted strongly. Social media was filled with testimonies and questions about the nature and causes of the earthquakes, and an increased search for information regarding safety. According to the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Egypt is not located within major seismic belts and earthquakes occurring deep in the Mediterranean Sea do not pose a direct threat to the country. According to Sherif Al-Hadi, head of the Earthquake Department at the NRIAG, Egypt is not sitting on any seismic belts and is not threatened by earthquakes. 'The term seismic belt means that we would be constantly alert day and night due to consecutive earthquakes,' Al-Hadi said, explaining that what is currently happening is that Egypt is affected by several seismic belts outside its borders. Among these seismic belts are those passing through the Mediterranean Sea south of the islands of Cyprus and Crete. One of those is a low-activity seismic belt 390 km away from Cairo. The other is more than 700 km away from Cairo and has almost no effect on Upper Egypt. Al-Hadi confirmed that Egypt 'is at a safe distance, and what is happening is only the sensation of tremors, especially on the upper floors, without any damage to infrastructure or any losses of lives or property.' Abbas Sharaki, a Cairo University geology professor, told Al-Ahram Weekly that most of the earthquakes felt in Egypt originate from the Mediterranean Sea, particularly from the regions near Greece and Turkey. Sharaki said that some of the zones prone to feeling earthquakes include the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the area extending from the Dead Sea up to Turkey. Greece is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, he added. However, he added that although thousands of earthquakes are recorded there each year, severe damage or fatalities are rare. He described the region as a very active and systematic seismic zone that has experienced stronger earthquakes in the past, but none have seriously impacted Egypt. Sharaki also noted that the NRIAG is closely monitoring the aftershocks, which so far have been mild. Over the long-term there are expectations of an earthquake occurring in the seismic belt area with a magnitude 6.5. Such events, according to Al-Hadi, happen from time to time but unlike weather, earthquakes cannot be predicted because the nature of the earth is completely different from the nature of the weather. 'What we do is estimate the likelihood of earthquakes based on seismic zones, which may become dormant at times and active at others,' he said. Al-Hadi advised the public, when feeling any tremors, to avoid elevators and use the stairs, and to remain calm, as panic can lead to chaos and stampedes, which in turn cause injuries. * A version of this article appears in print in the 29 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
GERD: Time will tell - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
The Ethiopian prime minister's statement that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will be inaugurated within six months was purely for domestic consumption Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told Ethiopia's parliament last week that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be inaugurated within six months. Abbas Sharaki, a professor of geology at Cairo University, described Ahmed's statement as an attempt to appease the public who have been waiting for the completion of the dam which has been promoted as key to Ethiopia's economic development. To say the dam is complete suggests construction work is finished, and that all 13 turbines are installed and operational, which is not the case, said Sharaki. While concrete work is 99 per cent complete there has been no change in water levels — 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) — since the fifth filling ended in September last year, which contradicts Ahmed's statement that the amount of stored water has reached 74 bcm. As for the turbines, Sharaki explained only six out of 13 are installed and their operation is still in the experimental stage. They work for a few days then stop for months. Over 10 years, Egypt and Sudan exerted every effort to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of GERD. Despite the failure of these efforts, Ahmed — as quoted by the Ethiopian media — said Addis Ababa will continue to work with Cairo for the benefit of the two countries and people. 'If Ethiopia wants dialogue and cooperation rather than disagreements, why did it not sign the draft agreement in Washington in February 2020, why did the negotiations stop in December 2023 and why have there not been any attempts to get negotiations back on track,' asked Sharaki. It is obvious, said a former diplomat who requested anonymity, that Ahmed is trying to distract attention away from his domestic problems. In last week's address to parliament, Ahmed also dismissed the prospect of war with Eritrea over the two countries' longstanding dispute about sea access, saying: 'What the people of Eritrea need is development, not conflict. Our plan is to grow and work together, not fight one another.' While insisting access to a Red Sea port is an 'existential issue' for Ethiopia, Ahmed has failed to achieve it, the diplomat noted. Eritrea was an Ethiopian territory until 1991 when it gained independence after decades of war. With Eritrean independence, Ethiopia lost access to the Red Sea and became landlocked. Raising the issue of a seaport sparks fears of renewed conflict between the two states. In an attempt to gain access to the sea, Ahmed signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland in January last year. Somaliland proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, though it is not recognised by any country. Under the deal, Somaliland agreed to lease land to Ethiopia to build a naval facility on its coast in return for Ethiopian recognition. The deal angered Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory and regards the deal as an infringement of its sovereignty. Cairo has repeatedly underlined the importance of respecting Somali sovereignty and rejects any involvement of non-coastal states in Red Sea security. Regular meetings are held between the Egyptian, Eritrean and Somali foreign ministers. This week, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh to discuss ways to promote regional stability through tripartite coordination with Somalia. Both Egypt and Eritrea reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Somalia in combating terrorism and preserving its territorial integrity. The two diplomats also underlined their rejection of the involvement of non-coastal states in the protection and governance of the Red Sea. This week's meeting was held within an extended framework of discussions that aim to boost bilateral and trilateral relations with Somalia and promote peace and security in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. Abdelatty's most recent visit to the Eritrean capital Asmara was last month. Ahmed's parliamentary announcement was made against a backdrop of possible domestic unrest due to internal splits and a reported coup among some factions within the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF fought the federal government from 2020 to 2022 and is currently led by an interim administration formed after the Pretoria Agreement was signed in 2022. Ahmed told parliament that he agreed the current interim administration of Tigray should remain in place despite internal divisions. * A version of this article appears in print in the 27 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
