Magnitude 5.1 earthquake strikes Syria

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 struck Syria, stations of the UAE's National Seismic Network of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said on Friday, August 16.

According to the National Seismic Network, the tremor occurred at 2.15pm UAE time.

It can also be noted that eight earthquakes were detected in a number of Syrian governments in the past day, authorities announced on Thursday.

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The National Centre for Earthquakes in Syria clarified, however, that the recorded tremors were considered 'weak', with intensities ranging between 1.4 and 3 degrees on the Richter scale.

On late Monday, an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hit central Syria, with the shock felt in neighbouring Lebanon, official media in both countries said.

"An earthquake of 5.5 on the Richter scale struck east of Hama city at 11.56 pm," Syria's state-run SANA news agency said, quoting Raed Ahmed, who heads the National Earthquake Centre.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake that struck Syria on late Monday had a magnitude of 5.0.

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