Planetary Alignments Stir Speculation Amid Recent Seismic Activity in Middle East: Is Turkey and Lebanon’s Earthquake a Cosmic Warning?
In a startling turn of events, the Middle East was jolted by two significant earthquakes within the last 24 hours. One struck Lebanon, and the other rattled the already beleaguered city of Kahramanmaras in Turkey. This alarming seismic activity comes on the heels of predictions by Dutch seismologist Frank Hoogerbeets, who indicated that certain planetary alignments could potentially amplify tectonic activity.
A picture of the extent of the destruction in Kahramanmaraş-Image Source: Al-Arabiya
The Science and the Speculation
Hoogerbeets, via his account on the X platform, cautioned that the convergence of planetary bodies and the Moon on the 19th day could lead to heightened seismic activity. However, he acknowledged that specific high-risk areas are yet to be identified. “The situation may not be as bad as it seems,” Hoogerbeets added cautiously.
Typical M-shape form. This is a big one. The marked regions are approximations. https://t.co/Z1L9rH7jsp pic.twitter.com/aagAcU1mrX
— Frank Hoogerbeets (@hogrbe) September 23, 2023
Lebanon’s Seismic Stir
Lebanon experienced a 2.5-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter near the Hogtas area, opposite the Turkish city of Adana. The tremor was felt by residents of the Lebanese city of Sidon in the early morning hours.
Turkey’s Continuing Crisis
In Turkey, a 4.6-magnitude earthquake rattled the city of Kahramanmaras, according to an announcement by Ankara’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority. The city has been grappling with frequent aftershocks since a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria in February, leaving tens of thousands dead and injured.
massive earthquake will hit South Africa soon. a similar cloud appeared above Turkey just before they had a big one. https://t.co/7q8VDAXgbA
— 𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖎𝖉𝖘 (@SONICAIDS) September 23, 2023
Humanitarian Aftermath
The February earthquake was described as the worst humanitarian disaster the region has faced in the past century. The calamity affected no less than 13.5 million people and destroyed approximately 345,000 apartments across 11 Turkish provinces.
These seismic events come at a time of deepening concern about natural disasters in the region. The alignment of celestial bodies as a factor, though not scientifically established, adds another layer of complexity and speculation to these unsettling times. Experts urge that while cosmic influence remains debatable, preparedness and resilience are paramount.
My deepest condolences to the families of the victims affected by the devastating earthquake in 🇹🇷 and 🇸🇾.
May God protect us all.#Turkey #Earthquak #Turkiye #Syria #Lebanon #Iraq #Gaziantep #Kurdistan #Baghdad pic.twitter.com/t1bxllhpag— Imad Gilbishi (@GilbishiMirza) February 6, 2023
While the predictions by Hoogerbeets are yet to gain scientific consensus, the coinciding seismic activities are raising eyebrows and escalating discussions around the predictive power of planetary alignments. Whether these earthquakes are a mere coincidence or a cosmic warning is a topic that continues to fascinate and baffle.
