Small earthquake felt in Fujairah

FUJAIRAH // Fujairah experienced a small earthquake, measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale, on Tuesday morning.

According to the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology’s Twitter account, the earthquake took place in the east of the emirate at 10:58am.

There are no initial reports of any damage to property.

According to Khamis El Shamsi, head of the seismology section at the centre, the earthquake lasted for 30 seconds.

“The earthquake ... was recorded in the Gulf of Oman, 11 kilometres off Fujairah coast at 4 kilometres depth.

“These kinds of minor, low impact earthquakes happen every two to three years. Similar earthquakes happened in 2013, and lasted for 30 seconds. Some residents, however felt it, but it didn’t cause any damage.”

Amer Kamal, a 28-year-old Jordanian, was waiting for the elevator to go to work when he felt the ground shaking.

“I was standing in the corridor waiting for the elevator when I felt it, it was fast and took a few seconds.

“Frankly, I didn’t realise that it was an earthquake, I thought it was caused by one of the nearby construction sites,” he said.

Muhra Al Ali was at her office in Fujairah tower when she felt her chair moving.

“I was sitting on my chair and I thought that someone moved me and when I looked back no one was behind me so didn’t think about it, but when my colleagues saw the news, I realised that it was an earthquake,” said Al Ali, 26.