Jordan Seismological Observatory records 846 seismic events in 2024

AMMAN — The Jordanian Seismological Observatory (JSO), part of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, recorded 846 seismic activities in 2024, including 166 local earthquakes in the Kingdom and neighbouring border areas.

The observatory also documented 317 regional earthquakes in nearby areas such as the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus, Turkey, and Albania, as well as 363 distant tremors concentrated in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

According to the observatory’s report, local earthquakes were distributed across areas such as the Dead Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Wadi Araba, Jordan Valley, and border regions.

Among these, 63 quakes were recorded in the Jordan Valley, 53 in the Dead Sea, 27 in Wadi Araba, 20 in the Gulf of Aqaba, and three in the Sarhan and Zarqa Faults.

JSO Director Ghassan Sweidan noted that seismic activity is concentrated along the boundaries of the Arabian Plate, particularly in the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea Rift.

He emphasised that seismological studies indicate minimal seismic activity in central and eastern Jordan.

The observatory continues to monitor and analyse local, regional, and global seismic activity around the clock using state-of-the-art equipment and technology.

Its network includes 23 seismic monitoring stations distributed across the Kingdom, comprising 20 local stations and three global stations affiliated with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation and the German Research Centre for Geosciences.

Sweidan highlighted a recent agreement between the observatory and the University of Jordan to establish a seismic monitoring station in Aqaba, set to be implemented in 2025.

This initiative represents an additional step in enhancing seismic monitoring networks, alongside updates to stations in Yarmouk University, Azraq, and Ashqaf, enabling remote monitoring of seismic activity in those locations.

The Jordanian Seismological Observatory was established in 1983 to monitor seismic activity, assess earthquake risks in Jordan and neighbouring regions, conduct scientific research on earthquakes, and train technical personnel for local and Arab institutions.