The National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) in Egypt has reported the monitoring of eight noticeable aftershocks in the aftermath of the significant earthquake that struck Morocco, resulting in widespread casualties.
According to the NRIAG’s statement, the most powerful of these aftershocks registered a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale, occurring just eight minutes after the initial devastating earthquake. The final recorded aftershock had a magnitude of 3.3 and took place at fifty-six minutes past midnight, local Cairo time.
The NRIAG’s monitoring stations, part of the National Seismic Monitoring Network, also tracked an additional earthquake following the initial Moroccan quake, which was centered 3262 kilometers west of Siwa, in Egypt’s northwest region.
Dr. Gad El-Kady, the Institute’s dean, emphasized the significance of the Morocco earthquake, describing it as highly destructive and of substantial magnitude. He also reassured the public that it had no direct or indirect impact on Egypt or its coastal cities.
In a related context, the NRIAG issued a cautionary statement regarding the forecasts made by Dutch researcher Frank Hoogerbeets. The Institute refuted Hoogerbeets’ claims, disseminated via his account on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), deeming them unscientific and fear-inducing. Previously, Hoogerbeets had predicted major seismic activity globally in February, causing unwarranted panic among the public.
Regarding Hoogerbeets’ recent assertions about possible devastating seismic activity between Earth, Mars, and Neptune due to lunar geometry, the Institute firmly asserted the lack of scientific evidence supporting these claims. Despite Hoogerbeets’ projections, posted on his X social media account, of imminent strong earthquakes between September 5 and 7, attributed to planetary and lunar alignments, authorities maintain their skepticism and dismissal of these assertions.
