Red Sea Once Dried Up, Then Refilled in Catastrophic Flood

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have confirmed that the Red Sea completely dried up around 6.2 million years ago, only to be rapidly refilled by a massive influx of water from the Indian Ocean.

Using seismic imaging, microfossil analysis, and geochemical dating, the team determined that this dramatic transformation occurred in just 100,000 years, an exceptionally short period in geological terms.

During this time, the Red Sea shifted from a connection with the Mediterranean to a desolate salt basin. The dry phase ended when a powerful flood breached volcanic ridges, opening the Bab el-Mandab strait and reconnecting the Red Sea to the world’s oceans.