The Meteorological Department clarifies regarding the decline in sea water in Morocco.

Agadir24

After the controversy sparked by what was circulated regarding the possibility of a tsunami hitting some Moroccan coasts, against the backdrop of what the latter recently witnessed of the phenomenon of receding sea waters, as the latter retreated by several meters, which raised a wave of apprehension and anxiety among citizens, the General Directorate of Meteorology reported that the decrease in sea level observed in recent days on the Moroccan coasts is due to the tide, which is a natural phenomenon linked to the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun, and this phenomenon is known and not strange.

Thus, the phenomenon of tides is an oscillatory movement that causes the sea level to rise (high tide) and fall (low tide). This complex phenomenon results from several factors, the most important of which is the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the earth.

The Meteorological Directorate’s tide forecast model recorded the lowest sea level on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, which coincided with the full moon. The recorded heights were 0.15 to 0.20 metres in the Mediterranean and 0.60 metres in the Atlantic.

As is known, this decrease occurs naturally during the summer and winter equinoxes.

The Meteorology Department indicated that a “tsunami” is a long wave generated by an underwater seismic shock that causes a sudden movement of the ocean floor; this drop in sea level has nothing to do with the tsunami phenomenon.

Based on the data monitored by the Directorate, there is no fear of tsunami waves occurring on the beaches that have witnessed a recession, as the water level has returned to its normal level during the past few days.

Conversely, unusually strong receding phenomena can sometimes be an indication of a tsunami, where water withdraws dramatically from the shore before returning forcefully in the form of high waves.

National Geographic reported that receding seawater could be an early sign of a tsunami, a series of powerful waves caused by major disturbances under the sea, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides.

When these disturbances occur, they can cause unusually large amounts of water to be pulled away from the shore, causing the sea to recede significantly and noticeably.