The north is shaking: A slight earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale was felt this evening (Wednesday) around a quarter to nine in the Kinneret area, about 13 kilometers north of Beit She'an.
Despite the relatively high magnitude of the current earthquake, no casualties or significant damage has yet been reported.
After the main earthquake, further reports of a series of weaker aftershocks were heard in the area, but there is currently no further confirmation.
The editorial command did not activate the earthquake warning, as it is not an earthquake that endangers the lives of residents in the area.
This is an area located on the Syrian-African rift and as a result mild earthquakes often occur, most of which are not felt but are measured by seismic instruments.
Last February, four earthquakes were felt in the area, which caused a great deal of concern.
Therefore, we then spoke with Prof. Zohar Gvirtsman, director of the Geological Survey, who clarified that there is no way to link the noises in the area to the occurrence of a strong earthquake.
"There is no way to link these noises to the stronger earthquake expected in the country," he said, adding that "we know that every hundred years, more or less, strong earthquakes of over 6 magnitudes occur in Israel. Israel is now within the predicted range of strong earthquakes. "Of the kind that can occur at any point in the Syrian-African rift that exists for us as an eastern border."
Despite the alarming forecasts, the director of the Geological Survey stressed that these were only statistics.
He said at the time, "The loud noise can come once in 150 years or once in 50 years - we can not know."
However, the expert expressed concern regarding the current surface cell where the quakes were felt.
According to Prof. Gvirtzman, loud noise in the Beit She'an area may affect the majority of the population in the country, in contrast to noise that will occur in a more remote area such as the Arava, which will have less of an effect.
"The risk of damage increases as more people within the range," he explained, noting that "it is important to build structures before the standard, and in places where there are old structures - strengthen them or demolish and rebuild."
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