The earth shook off the coast of Somalia early Friday. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of Aden.
The quake hit around 9:07 PM UTC, or just after midnight local time. Its center was roughly 145 kilometers from the Somali coast.
This Gulf of Aden earthquake was felt in parts of the surrounding region. Reports came from areas near El Dibir in Somalia’s Bari region.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quake’s strength. Early data suggests it was a shallow event.
Shallow earthquakes tend to cause stronger shaking near the surface. Experts are still reviewing the exact depth of this one.
A magnitude 6.0 quake is fairly rare in this part of the world.
The tremor struck in waters between Somalia and Yemen. This area separates the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.
So far, no injuries or major damage have been reported. Local authorities are still checking coastal areas for any lasting effects.
Monitoring agencies are keeping a close watch on the region. They want to know if the quake caused any further disruption nearby.
The Gulf of Aden sits in a zone known for frequent earthquakes. This is where the Arabian and African tectonic plates meet and grind against each other.
That constant plate movement makes earthquakes a common hazard in the area. Residents along the coast are used to occasional tremors from this activity.
For now, calm has returned to the region. But experts say more monitoring is needed in the days ahead.
