5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Oman: UAE's NCM

A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 was recorded off the Arabian Sea coast of Oman on Thursday morning, UAE's National Center of Meteorology (NCM) reported. The epicentre of the tremor was around 500km from the port city of Sur in Oman at a depth of 10 km below the seabed, it added.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the quake at 5.4 magnitude in the Owen Fracture Zone region.

According to the NCM, UAE was not impacted by the quake and temblor was not felt by residents in the country. The Met department recorded the quake at 7.24am off the Arabian Sea.

Seismology experts had earlier told Khaleej Times that UAE residents have no reason to worry about earthquakes. Khalifa Al Ebri, director of Department of Seismology, NCM, told Khaleej Times: "The UAE has low to moderate seismicity; hence we are safe. We are not on the active seismic belt.

"We have frequent tremors ranging from two to three in a year. People do not feel most of these tremors and they are just detected by the sensors. All these tremors do not affect the buildings or the infrastructure (in the country)."

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