The quake occurred at approximately 3:00 am local time (0000 GMT), with its epicentre located about 36 to 41 kilometres northeast of the port city of Suez, near the northern entrance to the Suez Canal. The United States Geological Survey measured the earthquake at magnitude 5.0, while the German Research Centre for Geosciences recorded it at magnitude 5.4 at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Emergency Response Activated
Egypt's Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar immediately ordered the activation of the country's health emergency response plan, placing hospitals on maximum alert and ensuring ambulance services were at "maximum levels of preparedness." The ministry confirmed that the health situation remained stable and no earthquake-related injuries had been reported.
The Egyptian Red Crescent also activated its emergency response plan in the affected governorates. While there were no immediate requests for emergency assistance, the organisation urged residents to stay away from old and dilapidated buildings, which are common in some of Cairo's working-class neighbourhoods.
The earthquake was felt across a wide area, with journalists and residents in Cairo reporting noticeable tremors. Tremors were also felt in several other cities, including Ismailia province, with reports of the quake being felt as far away as the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
Location and Geology
The epicentre's location near the Suez Canal area, one of the world's most important shipping routes, raised initial concerns about potential disruption to maritime traffic. However, the Suez Canal Authority confirmed that shipping operations continued normally and the waterway remained unaffected.
The Gulf of Suez and the wider Red Sea region are seismically active areas, part of the complex fault systems that mark the boundary between the African and Arabian tectonic plates. Earthquakes in the region are not uncommon, though damaging tremors are relatively rare.
Egypt experienced its deadliest modern earthquake in 1992, when a magnitude 5.8 earthquake centred just south of Cairo killed more than 500 people. Over the decades, the country has improved its infrastructure and building codes, with officials stressing the importance of resilient construction to withstand future earthquakes.
With reporting from Xinhua, The New Arab, Al-Ahram Weekly, BusinessTech, and Reuters.
