Series of earthquakes in Cyprus renews concern about lack of preparedness in Israel

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Paphos, Cyprus, on Thursday afternoon – the third quake to hit the island in two days. According to Arab and Israeli media reports, tremors were felt in parts of Lebanon and Israel.

The first two earthquakes occurred near Paphos on Wednesday – the first at 11:31 a.m. with a magnitude of 5.2, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. The second followed a few hours later, at 4:25 p.m., with a 5.9 magnitude. Both were felt in northern Israel.

Cypriot news site In-Cyprus reported that as of Thursday morning, at least 50 aftershocks had been recorded on the Mediterranean island. That figure was issued before the third earthquake, which struck at 3:55 p.m. 

Two seismologists told In-Cyprus that more earthquakes or aftershocks are likely, as pressure continues to be released along the rift where the recent earthquakes occurred.

Israelis last felt an earthquake in June, when a 6.2-magnitude quake struck near the Greece–Turkey border. Before that, a series of earthquakes near Crete in May were also felt in Israel.

The eastern Mediterranean contains multiple rifts, and earthquakes are a common experience. Israel lies on an active fault line known as the Great Rift Valley, running from the Red Sea up to the Jordan Valley and into Turkey. As many of the past earthquakes have only been mildly felt in Israel, Israeli seismologists are concerned that there is a lack of preparation for a serious seismological event in the country. 

Israel's last large earthquake was the 6.2-magnitude “Jericho Earthquake” in 1927, in the northern area of the Dead Sea. 

In 2023, an earthquake in Morocco killed over 2,000 people, prompting Israeli State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman to warn that the nation has not adequately prepared for a major earthquake. 

“Despite warning signs, the State of Israel has failed in its preparation for an earthquake. Instead of waiting for a commission of inquiry after a tragedy has occurred, the prime minister and the relevant minister must correct the deficiencies immediately,” Englman said in a statement after the deadly Morocco quake. 

He also noted that a 2018 report by his predecessor warned that a major earthquake in Israel could result in up to 7,000 deaths and leave roughly 170,000 people homeless.

A State Comptroller’s Report, published in March, warned that as many as 93% of buildings in northern Israel require reinforcement and could potentially collapse in a major earthquake.

Earlier in 2023, a deadly quake that struck the border region between Turkey and Syria killed tens of thousands and led to a large international rescue effort. 

Following that disaster, the Israeli Defense Ministry's National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) conducted an international exercise focused on disaster relief amid warnings about inadequate preparation in Israel. 

Israel has thousands of structures, primarily residential, that were built before 1985, before the adoption of modern earthquake-resistant building codes were established.