Disasters & Incidents
Egypt earthquake: 5.5 quake near Suez, Egypt says
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck about 40 kilometres north of the Egyptian city of Suez early Monday, Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics said.
The institute said the quake hit at 3:00 am local time, or 0000 GMT, and revised an earlier estimate of magnitude 5.2. The US Geological Survey put the shallow tremor at magnitude 5.0 after revising down an earlier reading.
Tremors were felt across a wide area, including Cairo and as far as El-Arish near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered emergency response plans activated across the country and directed ambulance services to be at maximum preparedness.
The health ministry and the Egyptian Red Crescent said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Authorities also reported no immediate requests for emergency help.
The Egyptian Red Crescent urged residents to stay away from old and dilapidated buildings, which are common in some of Cairo's working-class neighbourhoods.
Intense earthquakes are uncommon in Egypt. The country's deadliest earthquake in modern history struck in October 1992, when a magnitude 5.8 quake shook the capital, killing more than 500 people and displacing thousands.
Update
Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics said the quake was magnitude 5.5, revised from an earlier 5.2 estimate.
The US Geological Survey put the shallow tremor at magnitude 5.0 after revising down an earlier reading.
Egypt's health minister ordered emergency response plans activated and told ambulance services to be at maximum preparedness.
The tremors were felt across Cairo and as far as El-Arish near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian Red Crescent urged residents to stay away from old and dilapidated buildings.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 August 2026 at 02:07:08 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Magnitude estimates differ between Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, which reported 5.5, and the US Geological Survey, which reported 5.0.
Casualty and damage reports were described as immediate, so later assessments could change.
Source
AFP news report published on .