10 earthquakes strike Lahj as seismic activity intensifies, officials warn of more tremors

DHAMAR, July 11 (YPA) – Dhamar-based seismic monitoring stations have recorded 10 earthquakes striking Yemen’s Lahj province, with magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 4.2 on the Richter scale, amid official warnings that tectonic activity in the area may continue.

Mohammed Hussein Mutahar Al-Houthi, head of the Center for Earthquake and Volcano Monitoring and Studies, said the monitoring stations had detected 10 tremors since the beginning of July, with seismic activity intensifying significantly since Friday evening. Eight consecutive earthquakes were recorded northeast of Lahj between Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

He explained that three tremors measuring 3.4, 3.5, and 3.0 struck Friday evening, followed by five more early Saturday with magnitudes ranging between 3.0 and 3.1.

According to Al-Houthi, the strongest quake, measuring 4.2, occurred at 8:19 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a 3.3-magnitude tremor at 1:46 p.m. He noted that the stronger earthquakes were felt by local residents.

He attributed the seismic activity to ongoing tectonic movement along the southern edge of the Arabian Plate, particularly near the Gulf of Aden structural belt, where natural fault lines intersect within the Dhalea depression.

Al-Houthi warned that additional tremors of similar or slightly greater magnitude remain possible and cautioned about the risk of rockfalls and landslides in affected areas.

He added that the center’s technical teams remain on round-the-clock alert, continuously monitoring and analyzing seismic activity in anticipation of any further developments.