Cairo, August 3: An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was felt northeast of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday morning. This information was confirmed by the National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research of Egypt.
According to the institute, the earthquake’s epicenter was located at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately at 3:00 AM local time, with coordinates of 30.19 degrees north latitude and 32.61 degrees east longitude.
Reports indicate that residents felt the tremors in various areas. Journalists from the Xinhua news agency also reported light shaking in the capital, Cairo. Fortunately, there have been no reports of casualties or damage.
In response to the earthquake, Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, ordered the immediate activation of the country’s health emergency plan and convened the ministry’s Central Crisis and Emergency Operations Room.
The ministry has issued a high alert level across emergency and critical care departments in hospitals nationwide, confirming that ambulance and rapid-response teams are on standby.
Health officials reported that the situation remains stable, with no injuries or damage linked to the earthquake.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Red Crescent has activated emergency plans in cities where tremors were felt and stated that they have not received any reports of fatalities or property damage.
Egypt is located near active tectonic zones around the Gulf of Suez, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba, which occasionally pose a risk of mild earthquakes. However, most tremors result in little to no damage.
This region is situated in the Mediterranean, where the African Plate shifts beneath the Eurasian Plate, causing seismic activity ranging from mild to moderate in northern Egypt.
–
Leave a Comment