Earthquake recorded in Gulf of Aden

An earthquake with a surface wave magnitude of 6.2 was recorded on Gulf of Aden more than 1200 km away from Muscat.  No one reported experiencing the earthquake in Dhofar. “It might not have been felt or noticed as it took place at 5.57 am Sunday morning,” said Dr Issa el Hussain, Director of Earthquake Monitoring Centre at Sultan Qaboos University. The earthquake was located on a known fault named Al Ula Furtaq.  This fault crosses from Somalia to Oman-Yemen border. The surface wave magnitude was 6.2, which is within the usual range of earthquakes recorded on this fault that goes up to 6.5.  The fault, Al Ula Furtaq, is known for these types of earthquakes. “Gulf of Aden is opening and widening as Arabia moves from Somalia and African Plates.  A sudden movement on the fault causes the earthquake in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,” explained Dr El Hussain.