Earthquake strikes near Suez, Egypt, tremors felt across southern and central Israel
The tremor was felt across parts of Israel, though no casualties or damage were reported
An earthquake struck north of Suez, Egypt, early Monday morning, with magnitude estimates ranging from 5.0 to 5.6 depending on the monitoring agency. Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics measured the quake at magnitude 5.6, striking 38 kilometers (23 miles) north of Suez just after 3 am. The institute said it had received no reports of casualties or damage to property.
The German Research Center for Geosciences measured the quake at magnitude 5.4, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre measured the quake at magnitude 5.3.
The earthquake's tremors were reportedly felt across southern and central Israel.
The Egyptian Red Crescent said it activated its emergency response plan in the governorates where the quake was felt, but had so far received no reports of casualties or damage to property. The Red Crescent urged residents to avoid buildings showing signs of damage and to rely on official updates as authorities continued to assess the situation.
Dr. Dagan Bekon-Mazor, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at SCE, the Sami Shimon Academic College of Engineering, says the earthquake was felt in the Dead Sea region and other areas in the south. As a result, she says the country should “turn on a red alert, as earthquakes do not stop occurring and strong tremors will be felt in the future.”
Bekon-Mazor stressed the importance of proper preparation for an earthquake as it “significantly reduces the scope of casualties and property damage.”