Earthquake felt in Israel

Earthquake shakes Israel Friday afternoon, as residents across nation flood Ynet with reports of tremors. Quake's epicenter apparently near Crete, tremors felt in Cairo. No initial reports of injuries following quake

An earthquake was felt in Israel around 4:33 pm Friday, with hundreds of concerned residents from across the nation flooding Ynet with reports of tremors.

The Israel Police said it received numerous calls about the quake but no reports of injuries. Israel's Geophysical Institute said the earthquake was mostly felt in the north of Israel, including the towns of Safed and Naharia.

The tremors in Israel coincided with reports of an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale near the Greek island of Crete. The quake struck in the sea 76 miles (120 km) east-northeast of Iraklio, a town on Crete, on Friday, the US Geological Survey said. It was felt as far as Cairo.

"We have no reports of damage or injuries so far," said a police officer in Iraklio.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany, said Friday's quake near Crete had a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 and struck at 4:29 p.m.

Hundreds of Ynet readers across the country, ranging from Beersheba in the south through Jerusalem, central Israel and the Sharon region reported feeling the quake.

"We live in the first floor and objects in the house were shaking," a resident of Kiryat Gat wrote. A Rehovot resident added: "An earthquake! It was quite powerful."

A resident of Rishon LeZion, just south of Tel Aviv, wrote: "For a moment I feared that I'm dizzy, but as my son also felt it, I realized it was a light earthquake."

A resident of Kiryat Ono, east of Tel Aviv, wrote: "I was sleeping, and was woken up by the quake, which lasted for several seconds."

Tehia from Raanana, north of Tel Aviv, said she felt a powerful tremor. "I almost fell in the bathroom," she wrote.