Lebanon experienced a state of panic last night after detecting a tremor measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, located 5 kilometers south of Hermel. The National Center for Geophysics in Bhanis, part of the National Council for Scientific Research, reported that residents in Baalbek, northern Lebanon, Metn, Kesrouan, and Beirut felt the tremor. Marlene Baraks, director of the National Center for Geophysics, stated that the earthquake, recorded 5 kilometers from Hermel, occurred on the Yamouna fault. She noted that within 48 hours, 9 earthquakes originating from Lebanon (not aftershocks) had been recorded, with residents experiencing 4 of them.
In a press statement, she said, "The activity is not normal in Lebanon," indicating that "this does not mean a large earthquake is inevitable, but we cannot say it is normal activity." Amid the panic among Lebanese citizens due to rumors of an impending earthquake, a statement was issued by the National Disaster and Crisis Coordination Committee, which read:
"At this time, 21.03, following the earthquake felt by the Lebanese, misleading news circulated warning citizens of the risk of a destructive earthquake and urging them to move to open areas. The General Secretariat of the Supreme Defense Council - National Disaster and Crisis Coordination Committee denies these circulating rumors and clarifies that the information being shared is unfounded. We urge citizens not to heed them and to seek information from official and reliable sources: the National Operations Room for Disaster Management and the National Council for Scientific Research - National Center for Geophysics."
