Earthquake in Turkey: dead whales on the coast of Cyprus

In Cyprus, dead whales washed ashore, scientists suggest that the earthquake in Turkey was the cause. Experts say:

“These animals have an echolocation system that is affected by sea noises.”

Authorities today announced that dead whales have been discovered off the northern coast of Cyprus. Six dead beaked beaks were found today and four live ones were found on the beach yesterday, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research said.

Three of the four were taken to the open sea, and the fourth died. The agency said it is not yet clear whether the dead animals found today were those that returned to their natural environment yesterday. Yannis Ioannou of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research explains:

“These animals have an echolocation system that is affected by the sounds of the sea. It could be military exercises, underwater drilling or, of course, an earthquake that happened in the area.”

Experts identified the whale as a minke whale. On the Cypriot coast, representatives of this species are not frequent guests, writes CNN Greece.