Earthquake. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK An earthquake measuring 5.5-5.6 occurred tonight at 12:00 GMT in the Gulf of Suez region in Egypt. The tremor was also felt in various areas in Israel. According to Egypt’s National Research Institute for Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), the epicenter of the earthquake was north of the city of Suez, at a depth of about 8-10 km.
Following the earthquake, Google's automatic alert system was also activated, sending alerts to the cell phones of many users across Israel. The alerts were received even in areas where the noise was barely felt, as part of the company's early warning mechanism, which is based on detecting vibrations using Android device sensors.
In Israel, many residents reported feeling the earthquake, mainly in the south of the country, in the Dead Sea region and in Eilat, while in other areas, including the center and Jerusalem, many woke up following the cellular alert they received on their devices.
Several weak aftershocks were later detected in the area of the epicenter. According to Egyptian authorities, there were no reports of casualties or damage.
In Israel, as of this morning, no official reports of casualties or damage have been received following the earthquake.