5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Egypt, Cairo Feels Tremors
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck eastern Egypt in the early hours of Monday, sending tremors through the capital Cairo and across a wide swath of the region. Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) reported no immediate casualties or property damage, according to Xinhua.
The Quake
The earthquake struck in the early hours of Monday morning, with its epicenter located about 36-41 kilometers north-northeast of the city of Suez in eastern Egypt. The US Geological Survey recorded the event at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), classifying it as a shallow crustal earthquake—a type that can produce stronger shaking at the surface.
NRIAG head Bassem Nabwy told the Middle East News Agency that the earthquake lasted approximately 30 seconds and that at least five aftershocks had been recorded. He also noted that earthquakes cannot be predicted.
Widespread Tremors
Residents across Cairo, Giza, and other parts of Egypt reported feeling the shaking. The tremors extended beyond Egypt’s borders, reaching southern Israel, the Dead Sea area, and as far as El-Arish near Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Ahmed Badrawy, a 42-year-old resident of 6th of October City in western Cairo, described the experience to AFP: “I was awake and suddenly found the house shaking, I had to grab the chair tightly so I wouldn’t fall to the ground.”
One social media user told BNO News that “it’s been a while since I’ve experienced an earthquake this strong. The whole house was shaking.” Several Android users in both Israel and Egypt reported receiving earthquake warnings on their phones seconds before the shaking began.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded the event at magnitude 5.2, while the German Research Centre for Geosciences initially reported 5.4. The USGS initially reported 5.3 before revising down to 5.0. NRIAG’s official figure of 5.5 has been cited by Chinese state media, including CCTV.
Emergency Response
The Egyptian Red Crescent activated emergency response plans in governorates where the quake was felt, urging residents to “avoid approaching old buildings or those showing cracks” and to follow official updates as authorities continued to assess the situation.
Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered emergency response plans activated across the country and directed ambulance services to be at “maximum levels of preparedness,” according to The Daily Star. The Ministry of Health activated its health emergency plan and convened the central crisis and emergency room, publishing health guidelines for dealing with earthquakes.
The Cairo Governorate confirmed it had not received any reports of human casualties or material damage within its jurisdiction. Israel’s Home Front Command said there were no warnings regarding potential additional earthquakes in Israel, noting the earthquake occurred in the Sinai Peninsula.
Historical Context
Earthquakes of this strength are relatively unusual in Egypt, although tremors from earthquakes elsewhere in the region are occasionally felt in the country. The BBC notes that the most destructive earthquake in modern Egyptian history occurred on October 12, 1992, when a magnitude 5.8 quake near Dahshur, south of Cairo, killed more than 540 people, displaced thousands, and destroyed dozens of homes across the country.
The massive earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023 were also felt across parts of Egypt, particularly in the northern city of Alexandria. The Suez region and the Gulf of Suez area are known to have seismic activity due to the tectonic structures associated with the Red Sea rift system.
What’s Next
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, with the Egyptian Red Crescent and health ministry maintaining heightened alert levels. The USGS Did You Feel It? system received 367 citizen reports, registering a community intensity of 4.9 on the Community Decimal Intensity scale—indicating moderate shaking widely felt across the region.
While no casualties have been reported, officials are urging residents to remain cautious around older buildings and to follow official guidance as aftershock activity continues to be monitored. The earthquake serves as a reminder of the seismic risks facing the region, even in areas where large earthquakes are relatively uncommon.