Moroccan authorities have assured residents living along the coast that the receding beach waters noticed in recent days are not an imminent sign of a tsunami.
The Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) clarified in a statement on Tuesday that the phenomenon is instead a natural occurrence.
“The drop in sea level observed in recent days on the Moroccan coasts is due to tides, a natural phenomenon linked to the forces of attraction of the moon and the sun, and especially to the particular alignment of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun at the time of the full moon,” it said.
Residents of the Moroccan coastal city of El Jadida were sent into a frenzy after tsunami warning posters circulated on social media last week.
'Fake posters'
The posters, which warned of an impending tsunami on the beaches of El Jadida and nearby El Oualidia, have caused widespread concern among beachgoers and locals alike.
Their concerns were further heightened when beach visitors noticed the receding beach water line.
“This phenomenon is well known and is not unusual. While the tsunami is a long wave generated by an underwater seismic tremor that causes a sudden displacement of the ocean floor; this drop in sea level has no connection with the tsunami phenomenon,” DGM said.
On September 8, 2023, a rare but powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Morocco, killing more than 3000 people.
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