Amman, Jan 16 (Petra) -- The National Seismological Observatory documented 846 seismic events in 2023, including 166 local earthquakes within the kingdom and adjacent border regions, according to data released by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Observatory Chief Ghassan Sweidan reported that the majority of local seismic activity concentrated along the Arabian Plate boundary, particularly in the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea Transform fault system.

The monitoring network detected 63 tremors in the Jordan Valley, 53 in the Dead Sea region, 27 in Wadi Araba, and 20 in the Gulf of Aqaba.

The national seismic network also recorded 317 regional earthquakes across the Mediterranean, Cyprus, Turkey, and Albania, along with 363 distant events primarily in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

"Central and eastern Jordan show minimal seismic activity according to our studies," Sweidan said.

The observatory maintains round-the-clock monitoring through 23 stations nationwide, including 20 local and three international stations affiliated with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and the German Research Centre for Geosciences.

The observatory, established in 1983, is expanding its monitoring capabilities with a new station planned for Aqaba in 2024, following recent upgrades to existing facilities at Yarmouk University, Azraq, and Al-Ashqaf.

These developments enhance the network's remote monitoring capabilities and strengthen Jordan's seismic risk assessment infrastructure.

//Petra// AA

16/01/2025 13:17:58