Magnitude 5.5 Earthquake Shakes Eastern Egypt, No Immediate Casualties Reported
According to Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, the quake struck about 40 kilometres north of the city of Suez at exactly 3:00 am local time (0000 GMT).
Photo: Courtesy.
By Linda Olendo
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook eastern Egypt early Monday, prompting authorities to activate emergency response plans across the country, although there were no immediate requests for help or reports of major damage.
The tremors were felt across a wide area, jolting residents from their sleep and waking AFP journalists across the capital Cairo, with the shaking reaching as far as El-Arish near Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, more than 300 kilometres away.
According to Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, the quake struck about 40 kilometres north of the city of Suez at exactly 3:00 am local time (0000 GMT). The institute had initially estimated the magnitude at 5.2 before revising it upwards to 5.5 after further analysis.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) put the shallow tremor at magnitude 5.0, revising down an earlier reading of 5.2, and said the quake occurred at a shallow depth, which explains why it was felt over such a wide radius despite its moderate strength.
In the aftermath of the tremor, Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered emergency response plans activated across all governorates and directed ambulance services to be at “maximum levels of preparedness” in case of aftershocks or reports of casualties.
“There are no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, but we have raised our level of preparedness and all hospitals have been put on alert,” a statement from the Ministry of Health said.
The Egyptian Red Crescent also issued a public advisory, urging residents to stay away from old and dilapidated buildings, which are common in some of Cairo’s working-class neighbourhoods and in cities along the Suez Canal.
Residents in Cairo, Suez, Ismailia and parts of the Sinai Peninsula reported feeling their buildings shake for several seconds, with some rushing out of their homes in panic. Social media was flooded with posts from Egyptians describing how they were woken up by the tremors.
Intense earthquakes are uncommon in the northeast African country, although it lies near seismically active zones in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez. Most tremors recorded in Egypt are moderate and rarely cause widespread destruction, but experts have warned that poorly constructed buildings in densely populated areas remain vulnerable.
Authorities said monitoring of the situation is ongoing and urged citizens to remain calm while following safety guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority.
The last major earthquake to hit Egypt was in 1992, when a 5.8 magnitude quake killed more than 500 people and injured thousands in Cairo.
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