The United States Geological Survey
recorded a Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake
at a depth of 10.0 km beneath the northen Red Sea, roughly 77 km to the southeast if the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh at about 4.30
pm local time (about 2.30 pm GMT) on Tuesday 16 June 2020. There are no
reports of any serious damage or injuries
from this quake, but it was felt in Egypt and SAaudi Arabia.
The approximate location of the 16 June 2020 Red Sea Earthquake. USGS.
The Red Sea, while referred to
as a sea, is technically an immature ocean, underlain by the Red Sea
Rift, a spreading boundary between two tectonic plates, the African
Plate and the Arabian, where new oceanic crust is being formed. Arabia
was formerly part of the African Plate, but split away about 30 million
years ago. The Great Rift Valley of Africa is a continuation of this
rift, that is slowly splitting Africa in two from the north to the
south. This rifting exerts pressure on the rocks around the margin of
the sea, slowly pushing them apart, not smoothly but in fits and starts
as the pressure overcomes the tendency of the rocks to stick together.
The relative movements of the African and Arabian Plates. School of Earth and Environment/University of Leeds.
Witness
accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events,
and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit
organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.
See also...
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