As a series of earthquakes in the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea raised concerns of a tsunami hitting Israel, an expert told The Press Service of Israel that the phenomenon is difficult to predict and that Israel is not prepared.
The Greek islands of Santorini and Amorgos have been rattled by earthquakes and tremors since Feb. 1, with the strongest being 5.3 on the Richter scale. The area of the Aegean Sea between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey is dotted with volcanic islands, but Greek officials said the tremors are tectonic in nature and not volcanic.
A tsunami is a series of powerful ocean waves caused by large disturbances in the sea, such as underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. The waves travel at high speeds across vast distances and grow significantly in height when they approach shallow coastal areas, leading to widespread destruction. Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunamis are not caused by wind but by the sudden displacement of large amounts of water. They can result in flooding, strong currents, and extensive damage to coastal communities.
With the epicenter being about 900 km away from Israel, the Deputy Head of the National Security Council held an urgent meeting on Israel’s tsunami preparedness with the chiefs of various emergency bodies, ministries, and the army. Israel is also preparing for the possibility of dispatching to Greece a delegation of rescue and humanitarian aid workers.