Magnitude 5.5 Earthquake Strikes Eastern Egypt; Tremors Felt Across Cairo and Suez

CAIRO — A shallow, magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck eastern Egypt in the early hours of Monday, August 3, shaking buildings and waking residents across Cairo, Suez, and several neighboring governorates.

The tremor occurred at exactly 3:00 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT). According to Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers. The epicenter was located approximately 38 to 41 kilometers north of the city of Suez.

The tremors were felt across a wide area, reaching as far as El-Arish near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.

Emergency rooms were linked nationwide, and hospitals and ambulances were placed on alert.

Officials reported no casualties or property damage in the first hours after the tremor was felt.

The Egyptian Red Crescent activated its own emergency response protocols in the affected governorates, urging residents to stay away from buildings showing signs of structural damage.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation as more details become available.