UAn earthquake of magnitude 6,8 has struck the Atlas mountain range in Morocco, causing a compression movement generated by the push of the African plate towards the European one.
According to seismologist Carlo Meletti of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, this earthquake is part of the seismic activity that characterizes the Atlas Mountains.
The Atlas Mountains, which lie between the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic Ocean, were the scene of a previous earthquake of magnitude 5,8 in 1960 in Agadir, southern Morocco, which killed around 15.000 people.
According to Meletti, today's earthquake occurred along the same axis. "The Atlas Mountains are one of the two areas of Morocco with the greatest seismic activity," the seismologist said. "The other area is along the Mediterranean coast, where a devastating earthquake occurred in 1624 in Fez."
The Atlas Mountains are characterized by a compressional movement from north to south. To the south is the African plate, known as “Stable Africa”, which moves almost as a single object. Its northward thrust interacts with the European plate, generating the Atlas Mountains with a compressional movement.
Article published on 9 September 2023 - 12:07
