Double Danger: Two Strong Earthquakes Felt Across Israel in One Day, Epicenter in Cyprus.

Residents across Israel reported feeling two distinct earthquakes within 24 hours, both originating from the Cyprus region. The seismic activity, particularly felt in the northern parts of Israel, has put a renewed focus on regional preparedness for strong earthquakes and potential tsunamis in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Geological Survey of Israel (GSI) confirmed that the two tremors were both centered outside of Israel's borders, near the island of Cyprus. The latest tremor occurred on Wednesday at 4:24 PM IST, registering a magnitude of 5.2 on the Moment Magnitude Scale. Earlier that same day, an even stronger earthquake, measuring 5.7, was felt by residents in the Jordan Valley and other areas.

The Epicenter Near Paphos

The stronger of the two earthquakes, the M5.7 tremor, was located approximately 20 kilometers from the city of Paphos in Cyprus. Its effects were immediately felt by Israelis residing there.

Roni Schwartz, an Israeli living in Paphos, described the event: "I was at home when the first tremor occurred, which was quite strong; things were moving in the house." He added that an aftershock followed a few minutes later, expressing a common hope: "That's it, let's hope it's over." Another Israeli resident and real estate entrepreneur in the city, Dr. Noam Shani, recounted the frightening moment: "We were exactly in a team meeting in the conference room and suddenly the whole room shook for a few seconds. It was truly terrifying."

The second, M5.2 earthquake in the afternoon was also centered east of Paphos and was widely reported by residents across Israel on social media. One resident commented, "My chair moved!! There was an earthquake just now," while another confirmed, "An earthquake was felt in Jerusalem." In the north, a resident of Kiryat Yam, Shoshana, told local media, "I saw the lamps dancing from side to side in the house."

Long-Term Preparations and Tsunami Concerns

The recent tremors follow a pattern of seismic activity in the Eastern Mediterranean. The last time an earthquake was felt across Israel was during the night of May 14, when a powerful M6.3 tremor originated near Crete.

Earlier this year, the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) discussed the implications of a cluster of smaller tectonic tremors near Santorini (approximately 900 km from Israel). Experts presented a scenario where such a concentration of small tectonic quakes could potentially lead to another powerful earthquake capable of generating a tsunami that could reach Israel.

The NSC concluded its situation assessment by instructing government ministries and emergency bodies to prepare for such an event. Given the distance from the region, the assessment noted that the estimated warning time for a tsunami wave reaching Israel, following a powerful earthquake, is up to two hours. All emergency organizations were mandated to prepare for the possibility of a tsunami wave striking the Israeli coastline .