Earthquake strikes Egypt with reports of shaking across Middle East
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake has rattled Egypt, with people reporting that they could feel it across the Middle East.
The quake struck just after 3am local time on Monday (midnight GMT), according to Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.
Its epicentre was 38 kilometres (24 miles) north of the Egyptian city of Suez.
The national research institute reported no immediate casualties or property damage.
People in Israel, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, and Lebanon all reported that they could feel the shaking.
The Egyptian Red Crescent activated its emergency response plan in affected governorates.
Residents were being urged to avoid buildings showing structural damage and to follow official updates as authorities assess the situation.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) measured the earthquake at magnitude 5.4, saying that it struck at a depth of 10km (six miles).
Suez is located in northeast Egypt, near the southern end of the Suez Canal. It has a population of about 700,000.
