There have been 30 earthquakes recorded in Israel’s immediate region over the past 6 weeks. 17 occurred in the month of March and there were 13 in February.
According to the Israel Seismic Network, all of the activity occurred within the area bounded by 27.0°N to 36.0°N and 32.0° E to 38.0° E.
The earthquakes were considered to be minor ranging between 2.0 – 4.0 in magnitude (M), and there were no reports of injuries or damage. Those less than 1.0 in strength up to 2.0 are categorized as Micro, Light are 4.0-5.0M, Moderate 5.0 – 6.0, Strong 6.0 – 7.0, Serious 7.0 – 8.0 and Great 8.0M and above.
The most recent ones took place at on 20 March. A 2.6M occurred at 9:51 PM offshore in the East Mediterranean Sea (EastMed) at 35 kilometers (K) depth, 34.550 latitude (Lat) and 33.901 longitude (Long). A 2.2M occurred in Cyprus at 5:28 AM, a depth of 16 K at 35.020 Lat and 34.021 Long.
The strongest, however, was a 3.8M at 11:24 PM on 4 March in the Palmira Region of Israel’s northern neighbor Syria at a 3K depth, 34.382 Lat and 37.386 Long; following an earlier 2.3M in the same area at 11:48 AM the same day at 1K depth, 34.019 Lat and 36.511 long.
Other areas to experience 2 earthquakes in one day were as follows:
A 2.6M at 9:38 PM on 18 March in Cyprus at a 25 K depth, Lat: 34.853 Long: 32.860, following a 2.2M just 10 minutes earlier at 25K depth in the EastMed at Lat 34.448 and 33.332 Long.
On 16 March, a 3.1M quake at a 7K depth rocked Syria at 8:32 AM, at a Lat of 35.083 and Long 36.651. A 2.4M hit the Yamune Region in Lebanon’s Baalbek-Hermel Governorate at 1:02 AM at a 1K depth, Lat 33.910 and Long 35.982.
The Red Sea Region saw a 3.0M at 12:26 PM on 3 March at a 5K depth, 27.091 Lat and 34.760 Long, following a 2.9M just minutes earlier at 12:11 with a 3K depth, 27.125 Lat and 35.243 Long.
The 3 weakest recorded earthquakes were all 2.0M: one occurred in Saudi Arabia on 19 March at 9:21 PM at a 1K depth, 28.669 Lat and Long of 35.017. The EastMed was hit on 2 March at 2:33 PM with a 30K depth, Lat: 33.425 and Long: 34.590; while Lebanon was rattled by the other on 21 February at 9:42 PM by 1K depth at 33.312 Lat and Long 35.405.
Another earthquake occurred on 21 February at 2:54 PM in Lebanon’s Yamune Region, striking at a 2.5M, 17K depth, Lat of 33.314 and 35.774 Long.
The highest number of earthquakes to hit Israel’s region in a single day was 3 during the course of both months.
Cyprus was hit on 11 March by a 2.4M at 11:15 PM (10K depth, Lat: 34.956 Long: 34.120), as well as a 2.6M at 2:35 PM (10K depth, Lat: 34.999 Long: 34.071). The third struck just offshore Cyprus in the EastMed at 1:27 AM (2.3M, 20K depth, Lat: 35.212 Long: 34.182).
There were also 3 on 25 February: a 2.5M in the EastMed at 8:17 PM (20K depth, Lat: 35.190 Long: 32.261), a 2.1M in Palmira at 11:45 AM (0 depth, Lat: 33.889 Long: 36.536), and a 2.5M in the Sinai at 8:46 AM (0 depth, Lat: 30.358 Long: 32.621).
There were 2 other earthquakes in March, both of which were 2.1M in strength. One occurred on the 6th at 9:30 AM in the West Sirhan region of Jordan’s border with Saudi Arabia (7K depth, Lat 33.094 and Long 35.915). The other happened on the first day of the month at 11:44 AM in the Sinai Peninsula at a 1K depth, Lat 30.780 and Long: 33.400.
There were 8 additional earthquakes in February over the span of just 10 days. These include 4 in the EastMed ranging in 2.7-2.2 magnitude between 19th to the 28th, with 2 in the Red Sea on the 22nd and 23rd. The others occurred in Cyprus on the 24th, and Israel’s eastern neighbor Jordan on the 18th.