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Quake jolts eastern Mediterranean region, kills 1
October 9, 1996
Web posted at: 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT)JERUSALEM (CNN) -- At least one person was killed Wednesday when a strong earthquake rocked a wide swath of the eastern Mediterranean region, shaking buildings in parts of Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Cyprus.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry said a woman died when her home collapsed about 38 miles (60 kilometers) north of the Egyptian capital Cairo.
No other casualties or substantial damages from the quake were reported.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.8 earthquake was centered off the southwest coast of Cyprus, about 55 miles (88 kilometers) southwest of Limassol.
CNN reporters in Jerusalem and the Egyptian capital of Cairo said they felt the tremor. Israel Radio reported that the entire country was jolted. Reports in Cairo suggested the quake lasted more than two minutes.
(23 sec./256K AIFF or WAV sound of Walter Roders describing the fault line)
"I felt a tremendous shake; the door was banging and my chair was moving around. Everyone ran down the stairs and the elevators got stuck," said Magdi Awaida, who works on the 22nd floor of the downtown Cairo's Radio and Television building.
Dozens of people ran into the streets of Cairo, terrified their buildings might collapse.
"It caused lots of panic -- people running out of their homes," CNN Correspondent James Martone said from Cairo.
He added that state television was downplaying the incident, saying the quake lasted 30 seconds, not two minutes.
Nearly four years ago to the day, a quake struck Cairo, killing more than 450 people, injuring 4,000 and causing extensive damage to buildings.
The quake was also felt in Cyprus and in Lebanon, where tall buildings swayed in downtown Beirut.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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