Hi Roger. That is what most people have thought, but there is some strong evidence that does point towards a series of 3 earthquakes. Each time Alexandria was destroyed it was rebuilt until the last quake in the in the 8th century.

Evidence collected by the joint French and Egyptian team indicates it was destroyed by an earthquake, according to underwater archaeologist and team leader Franck Goddio.

Coins and jewellery scattered in the streets and ruins testify to the opulence of the residents' lifestyle and to the haste with which the city was abandoned

The debris field farthest from the shore lies close to what Amos Nur of Stanford University has determined was an ancient branch of the Nile, most likely the canopic branch - named for the nearby city. "From ancient texts, we knew there was a city at the mouth of the canopic branch, but nobody knew where it was," Mr Goddio said.

The tumbled walls and columns of Herakleion/Thonis were all leaning in the same direction, a sure sign of an earthquake, Mr. Nur noted.

The city closest to the shore was identified as Menouthis, which was a suburb of the larger city of Canopus. The building materials of many of the demolished buildings had been salvaged for use in the rebuilding of the city after the earthquake that had probably struck in the 4th century, Mr. Goddio said.

The most recent artifacts date to the end of the 8th century, suggesting that the city was destroyed by a second earthquake about that time. Take Care…Don in creepy town.

• Alexndria