Devices modified by Israel at production, Lebanon security sources say
world14 hours ago
An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hit central Syria on late Monday, with the shock felt in neighbouring Lebanon, official media in both countries said.
AFP journalists in Beirut and Damascus also said they felt the tremor.
According to UAE's National Seismic Network of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), the quake occurred at 12.56am UAE time.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
"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 had a magnitude of 5.0.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said "some residents of Beirut" and other areas "felt a light earthquake at 11.56 pm".
On February 6, 2023, a pre-dawn 7.8-magnitude tremor killed nearly 60,000 people in Turkey and Syria.
According to Damascus, the earthquake killed more than 1,400 people in government-controlled areas of Syria, while more than 4,500 died in areas held by opposition factions in the country's northwest.
On Monday in Syria's Turkish-controlled north, many residents rushed out of their houses in a panic, an AFP correspondent reported.
They were still traumatised from last year's deadly quake that flattened buildings throughout the country's north.
Damascus resident Roba, who did not give her last name, said the latest quake revived painful memories of last year's devastating tremor.
"We panicked and rushed out of the building," said the 35-year-old accountant.
"I was afraid that what happened during the last earthquake would happen again," with entire buildings collapsing on sleeping people, she said.
"We do not have the courage to go back to the 11th floor where we live."
ALSO READ:
Devices modified by Israel at production, Lebanon security sources say
world14 hours ago
Top US diplomat is visiting Egypt hoping to advance efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and strengthen ties with Cairo
world15 hours ago
A UNRWA official said the Israeli government is also 'increasingly phasing out representation from those engaged in reporting on the atrocities'
world19 hours ago
Of the 2.8 million private cars registered in the Scandinavian country, 754,303 are all-electric, compared to 753,905 that run on petrol
world1 day ago
Months of behind-the-scenes negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to halt the fighting between Hamas and Israel, apart from a one-week truce beginning in late November
world1 day ago
Modi's government has frequently deployed bulldozers and earthmovers to flatten property owned by those facing trial, saying it targets illegal construction and is a firm response to criminal activity
world1 day ago
If approved, Oxford Street would join other major shopping hubs such as Times Square in New York and La Rambla in Barcelona that have gone fully traffic-free
world1 day ago