Egypt Daily News – In the early hours of Thursday morning, May 22, 2025, an earthquake was recorded and felt by some citizens in several Egyptian coastal areas and Cairo, raising widespread questions about the severity of the quake and the possibility of aftershocks in the coming hours.
Crete earthquake felt in Egypt without damage
According to the official statement issued by the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, the stations of the National Seismic Network recorded an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.24 on the Richter scale. It occurred on the island of Crete, 499 kilometers north of the city of Marsa Matrouh, at exactly 6:19:38 a.m. local time. Dr. Taha Rabah, the head of the institute, explained that the earthquake was far from Egyptian territory, which is why no casualties or property damage were reported. He noted that some citizens, particularly in coastal governorates, felt the tremor, but only mildly, and there is no cause for concern.
Institute: No worrying aftershocks or danger to citizens
In response to questions about the likelihood of aftershocks or subsequent quakes, Dr. Taha Rabah emphasized that there are no indications of any concerning aftershocks in the coming hours. He added that seismic activity in the Eastern Mediterranean region is natural.
Dr. Sherif El-Hady, head of the Seismology Department at the institute, said that the tremor lasted between 15 and 20 seconds and did not affect Egypt’s infrastructure. He pointed out that aftershocks are usually weaker and gradually decrease, and they do not pose a threat.
A national network monitors earthquakes around the clock
It is worth noting that the National Seismic Network, affiliated with the institute, includes more than 63 seismic stations distributed across the country. It monitors seismic activity 24 hours a day, and the data is sent in real time to the institute’s main center, in addition to branch centers in Aswan, Borg El Arab, Hurghada, and Marsa Alam.
