5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Egypt, tremors felt in Cairo
Cairo, Aug 3
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh early Monday, Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics said.
The earthquake occurred at around 3:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) at a depth of 10 km, with its epicentre located at 30.19 degrees north latitude and 32.61 degrees east longitude, according to the institute.
The institute said it had received reports that the tremor was felt by residents, "without any loss of life or property." Xinhua correspondents also felt noticeable tremors in Cairo, the Egyptian capital.
Following the earthquake, Egypt's Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar ordered the immediate activation of the country's health emergency plan and the convening of the ministry's central crisis and emergency operations room.
The ministry raised the alert level to the highest at emergency and critical-care departments in hospitals nationwide and confirmed the readiness of ambulances and rapid-response teams.
It said the health situation remained stable, and no earthquake-related injuries had been reported.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Red Crescent activated emergency plans in cities where the earthquake was felt and said it had received no reports of casualties or property damage.
Egypt lies close to active tectonic zones around the Gulf of Suez, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba, making the country susceptible to occasional moderate earthquakes, although most result in little to no damage.
Located in the Mediterranean Sea, where the African Plate slides beneath the Eurasian Plate, causing moderate to strong seismic activity felt in northern Egypt.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular tourist spot, so I bet some Indians were there too. Hope everyone is safe. The earthquake struck at 3 AM—imagine waking up to shaking buildings, especially in high-rise hotels. Sending best wishes to Egypt from India 🇮🇳❤️
A 5.5 magnitude at a shallow depth of 10 km would definitely pack a punch in terms of shaking intensity, even if damage is limited. The Egyptian Red Crescent's quick response is a good example of emergency protocol. Countries in seismically active zones should all adopt such readiness.
It's quite worrying when earthquakes happen in tourist areas because people aren't accustomed to them. But Cairo residents felt it too, so it was widespread! Kudos to the Egyptian authorities for activating emergency plans. Mera mann kehta hai they handled it well! 👍
Interesting that the epicentre was off the coast of Sharm el-Sheikh. This is a reminder for all nations, including India, to constantly update building codes and public awareness about earthquake safety. Also, the fact that the health ministry activated the highest alert overnight shows responsibility.
Some say earthquakes are becoming more frequent due to climate change and groundwater depletion. Not sure about that, but this one is definitely a reminder of nature's power. India should adopt similar emergency response plans to Egypt's for our coastal and Himalayan regions.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.