2 tremors jolt north Kabd and South Jahra

Kuwait witnessing ‘hail, not snow’

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s national network for monitoring earthquakes at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research yesterday detected two tremors north of Kabd and South Jahra areas. Director of the decision-making program and supervisor of the network Abdullah Al-Enezi said in a press statement that the network recorded two tremors - the first was detected at 8:32 am of 5.2 degrees on the Richter scale while the second one occurred at 8:35 am (local time) of 3.7 degrees on the Richter scale. He added that the two tremors occurred at a depth of five kilometers and were felt by citizens and residents in the areas of Jahra, Qairawan and Saad Al-Abdullah.

In another development, Meteorologist Mohammad Karam has commented on spreading online pictures showing snowfalls in Kuwait saying that the frozen raindrops blanketed the ground due to freezing temperature. Rain clouds coupled with low temperature led to forming a frosty layer covering the ground, Ramadan said in remarks to KUNA after photos, with captions saying Kuwait is witnessing snowfalls for the first time have gone viral across the social media spectrum.

The hail fell onto wet grounds causing a layer of ice, said Ramadan, indicating that this was the scientific explanation of the phenomenon. Ramadan indicated that he would stop short of declaring that Kuwait is witnessing snowfalls, in the literal sense, and cautioned farmers that they should protect their groves and crop of the hail harmful effects. Temperature will increase gradually tomorrow and Monday, before settling at normal levels on Tuesday. Kuwait and other regional countries are currently whipped with freezing northwesterly winds.