Jordan Rift Valley

One million years later, the land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan Rift Valley rose so that the sea water stopped flooding the area.

Alternatively, it was a fall in the sea level that caused the disconnection, or a mix between the two phenomena – researchers have not yet reached a consensus.

The geological and environmental evolution of the valley since its inception in the Oligocene can be seen in a variety of sedimentary and magmatic rock units, preserved as continuous sequences in the deeper basins.

With its flanks rising sharply to almost 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level in the west, and similarly in the east, the rift is a significant topographic feature over which a few narrow paved roads and difficult mountain tracks lead.

[8] In 1033, the rift valley was struck by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake, believed to have been produced along the DST fault system.

[11] In late 2020, researchers at Tel Aviv University said that an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 is expected to occur in the area, resulting in many fatalities.