Minor earthquake hits near Eilat; no damage or injuries
3.8-magnitude tremblor located in Jordan, 12 miles northeast of Israeli Red Sea resort town
A 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck early Tuesday near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat, according to the Geological Survey of Israel.
The quake struck some 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of the city in nearby Jordan at 4.30 a.m. Residents reported that buildings shook, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Israel is situated along the Syrian-African rift, a tear in the earth’s crust that runs the length of the Israel-Jordan border and is part of the Great Rift Valley, which extends from northern Syria to Mozambique.
The country has last seen at least three minor earthquakes around the Eilat area and nearby Arava region this year.
Felt #earthquake (#زلزال) M3.8 strikes 11 km E of #Aqaba (#Jordan) 44 min ago. Please report to: https://t.co/gyOGDFJGeV pic.twitter.com/ftBCGo2RAk
— EMSC (@LastQuake) December 15, 2020
The last major earthquake to hit the region was in 1927 — a 6.2-magnitude tremor that killed 500 people and injured 700 more.
