"The whole building moved": The earthquake struck Eilat - is the city prepared for the next one?

An earthquake felt yesterday in Eilat and the Arava caused panic among residents and vacationers. The article examines the city's readiness for a significant quake, more than three decades after the powerful 1995 earthquake that caused heavy damage.

An earthquake felt yesterday (Wednesday) in the Eilat and Arava region caused panic among residents and vacationers, who reported buildings shaking, furniture moving, and fears of infrastructure damage. Visitors at the Underwater Observatory feared a crack in the diving bell underwater. The quake renewed the question of the city's readiness for a major earthquake, more than three decades after the powerful 1995 quake of magnitude 7.2, which caused heavy damage to hotels, residential buildings, and infrastructure. The article notes that Eilat is located along the Dead Sea Transform, a seismically active area, and that since 1995 the State Comptroller has warned of gaps in earthquake preparedness. The key questions that remain open are the extent of building resilience, the functioning of emergency systems, and the budget allocation for infrastructure reinforcement.