Magnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes near Suez, felt across Egypt and the region
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck near the northern entrance of the Suez Canal in the early hours of Monday, with its epicentre about 41 kilometres north of Suez at a depth of roughly 10 kilometres. The tremor hit at around 3 a.m. Cairo time and was felt widely across the country, including in Cairo, the Nile Delta, Alexandria and Port Said.
The shaking reached well beyond Egypt's borders and was reported in the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, up to 400 kilometres from the epicentre. Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics recorded five aftershocks in the hours that followed.
Authorities said the impact was limited. The Health Ministry reported one person injured, who was treated and discharged, while three older buildings partially collapsed in Cairo and Beheira. Officials urged residents to keep away from damaged or ageing structures and to follow guidance from the civil-protection authorities.