Two earthquakes hit east of Paphos, Cyprus, on Wednesday, with magnitudes of 5.1 and 5.9, respectively, according to reports by Reuters, with tremors felt across parts of Israel, the Israel Geological Survey reported.
No immediate damage or injuries have been reported.
According to Ynet, the quake was primarily felt in Haifa, Afula, and Nazareth.
“I was at home when the first quake hit, it was quite strong and things moved around the house," Roni Schwartz, an Israeli living in Paphos, told Walla.
"Thankfully, it wasn’t too strong. A few minutes later, there was an aftershock. That’s it, hopefully it’s over.”
The tremor was recorded around 11:32 a.m., with postings on the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre suggesting it was also felt in Lebanon. Cyprus is in a seismically active region, but earthquakes rarely cause damage.
Israel updated earthquake safety guidelines in recent years
Israel has updated earthquake safety guidelines and conducted drills in recent years. The Home Front Command and other agencies have emphasized readiness steps for residents during seismic events.
Recent tremors in the region have prompted renewed attention to building resilience and early warning capabilities.
Reuters and Pesach Benson/TPS contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.