A 6.4-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Mediterranean Sea early Wednesday morning, sending tremors across parts of Egypt, including Cairo and Alexandria. The quake occurred at 1:51 AM Cairo time, approximately 421 kilometers south of Marsa Matrouh, according to Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG).
Residents in several Egyptian cities, particularly in the capital and along the northern coast, reported feeling the ground shake. Despite the distance of the epicenter from Egypt’s shoreline, the tremors were perceptible due to local geological conditions.
NRIAG clarified that no casualties or material damage were reported as a result of the quake.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) assessed the earthquake’s magnitude slightly lower at 6.1, locating its epicenter approximately 38 kilometers south-southwest of Karpathos, Greece. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) also registered a similar event, estimating a magnitude of 6.3 off the island of Crete at a depth of 83 kilometers.
According to Al Ahram Online, Dr. Sherif El-Hady, head of the Seismology Department at NRIAG, explained that Cairo’s soft clay soil contributed to the noticeable shaking felt by residents, as such soil types tend to amplify seismic waves.
Seismic activity in the eastern Mediterranean is not uncommon due to the region’s complex tectonic boundaries. Egyptian authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
