Gibraltar broke one last time, re-flooding the Mediterranean basin in the Zanclean flood, favouring slope destabilization. The basin has not desiccated since.

Several cycles

The amount of Messinian salts has been estimated as around (but this estimate may be reduced by 50 to 75% when more information becomes available) and more than 1 million cubic kilometres, 50 times the amount of salt normally in the Mediterranean waters. This suggests either a succession of desiccations or a long period

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