Western Mediterranean events. Our first choice is the earthquake and tsunami of 2003 in Argelia 21st May (Bourmedès-Zemmouri).

At the Western end of the Mediterranean, two distinct areas can be defined in terms of geology and tectonics:

• The Alboran Sea environment, characterised by a dominant transcurrent tectonic type and
• The Tell Atlas belt, Northern Algeria, characterised by a compressive type of deformation forming thrusts and folds.