UAE meteorologists say Arabian Gulf unlikely to see tsunami like those in the Pacific

Abu Dhabi: The National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) has dismissed the possibility of tsunamis striking the Arabian Gulf coast, calling such an event “scientifically unlikely.”

On whether recent seismic activity around the globe could affect the coasts of the Gulf, including those of the UAE, Khalifa Al Abri, Director of the centre’s Seismology Department, said: “The Arabian Gulf is geographically far from the Pacific Ocean, which is considered the main source of tsunamis worldwide.”

According to a report by Emarat Al Youm Arabic daily, the NCM closely monitors earthquakes worldwide, including the powerful recent tremors along Pacific shorelines, as well as the tsunami risks that follow. Al Abri said the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea are not considered tsunami-prone regions “because of their relatively enclosed geological nature and their lack of major submarine faults or active tectonic plate boundaries, unlike the case in the Pacific Ocean.” He underscored that for this reason, “the risk of the Arabian Gulf’s coasts being struck by tsunami waves similar to those in the Pacific Ocean is scientifically very weak.”

On whether climate change plays a role in such natural hazards, Al Abri stressed that earthquakes and tsunamis are primarily caused by the movement of tectonic plates deep within the earth, “a natural geological process not directly related to climate change.” He added, however, that some recent studies are exploring indirect factors such as melting ice and rising sea levels, which could affect geological pressure. “This field of research is still under study, and no conclusions have yet been reached,” he said.

The centre, he added, continues to monitor seismic activity regionally and globally through advanced systems, working in full coordination with the relevant authorities to ensure public safety.