A magnitude-5.6 earthquake hits Eritrea

A quake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck southeast of the Eritrean capital Asmara on Tuesday, the government and the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, with no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The moderate earthquake which hit at a depth of 10 kilometres struck at 8:15 pm local time (1715 GMT), Information Minister Yemane Meskel said.

"Ministry of Mines and Energy affirms that Irafalle is the epicenter of the earthquake," Meskel wrote on social media.

A full report would follow, he added.

Tuesday's quake hit roughly 55 kilometers (34 miles) southeast of Asmara, according to USGS.

 
Asmara, a quiet city of sidewalk cafes and picturesque villas, was in 2017 designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its colonial Italian modernist architecture.

Eritrea is classified by the United Nations as one of the world's least developed countries.

The Horn of Africa nation ranks 176th out of 191 countries on the UN's 2021 human development index.