JEDDAH, 21 November 2002 — The seismic observation center in Madinah has recorded a tremor measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale in the south of Gulf of Aqaba at 8.16 a.m. Tuesday.
The tremor was felt by residents of Magna town in Haqal governorate of the Tabuk region. A similar tremor was felt at Al-Bada near Al-Wajh town the same day.
No damages were reported from the tremor, which was followed by aftershocks measuring 3.5 and 3 on the Richter scale.
Magna, with a population of 2,500, is 250 km northwest of Tabuk and 100 km form the Gulf of Aqaba. The agricultural village of Bada, is 90 km to the east of Al-Wajh. Similar tremors were felt by residents of neighboring villages earlier this month.
Dr. Mohammed Asaad Tawfiq, president of Saudi Geological Survey Authority, cautioned earlier the public of possible minor tremors in the Kingdom’s western regions as they are located in the Arabian Plate.
"The Kingdom is hit by minor jolts occasionally without the knowledge of its residents," he said.
He said earthquakes registering more than six on the Richter scale had been recorded in some Red Sea areas and the Gulf of Aqaba.
"Saudi Arabia comes under the Arabian Plate region whose border areas are hit by earthquakes as we see in Iran and Turkey and other areas," he pointed out.
"The western region of the Kingdom, especially the northwestern and southwestern regions, are more prone to tremors," he explained.
Tawfiq classified the Kingdom among the regions that are threatened by minor and medium earthquakes..
The latest serious earthquake occurred in the Gulf of Aqaba on Nov. 22, 1995 with 7.2 on the Richter scale, causing destruction in some regional cities and villages.
There are four seismic observation centers in the Kingdom. They belong to Saudi Geological Survey Authority, the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, King Saud University and King Abdul Aziz University.
