Quake In Southern Lebanon Felt In Israel's North

TEL AVIV – Residents of northern Israel felt the effects of a 3.6-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Lebanon overnight Sunday.

The epicenter of the earthquake was about 30 kilometers south of the Lebanese city of Sidon, some 20 kilometers from the Israeli border. The earthquake occurred around 1:37 a.m. Israel time (6:37 p.m. Eastern Standard Time).

There were no damage or injuries reported in either country.

Residents around the Safed area described how their entire houses shook.

In May, a 4.8-magnitude earthquake centered in the Sinai Peninsula was also felt in the resort city of Eilat. No injuries or damage to property was reported.

A month earlier, the Geophysical Institute of Israel reported that a small 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Dead Sea at a depth of 20 kilometers.

The Israeli government has begun taking steps to initiate an earthquake preparedness program in the event of larger quakes in the future.

The last devastating quake was in 1927, a 6.2-magnitude that killed more than 500 people and injured many hundreds more.