Abstract
A swarm of earthquakes began in the northern portion of the Gulf of Aqaba on November 22, 1995 with amaximum local wave magnitude of ML 6.2 and focal depth of about 15 km, causing damage to buildings in the Aqaba region. More than 8000 after shocks were recorded during the next 40 days. Observations related to damage to structures and soil liquefaction are presented by photos and discussed. Generally, engineered low-rise buildings with one to four stories above ground behaved satisfactorily. The hotel area in Aqaba on the shoreline appears to be riskier for flexible buildings during major earthquakes. Therefore, denser inland alluviums or rock sites should be considered for constructing new high-rise buildings and hotels.
