Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake Shakes Dead Sea and South

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was felt Thursday morning across wide parts of Israel, triggering an alert from the Home Front Command and prompting security and emergency services to conduct precautionary checks. Authorities said no injuries were reported.

The initial alert was issued at 9 am. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the epicenter of the earthquake was located near Dimona, in southern Israel. The shaking was felt across the Dead Sea region, the Jordan Valley, and the southern Negev. Residents also reported feeling the quake in Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod, and parts of northern Israel.

Dimona Mayor Benny Biton described the impact in an interview with Ynet. “The entire bureau moved, our municipal call center collapsed,” Biton said. “I saw my chair shaking. We really felt an earthquake. There were earthquakes here before, but this is the first time I truly felt what it is.”

Israel Police said officers were deployed to conduct scans of roads and buildings in the affected areas. “Following the Home Front Command alert regarding an earthquake felt in the Dead Sea area, police forces are operating in the field and conducting searches along roads and in structures in order to locate hazards and ensure public safety,” police said. “At this stage, no reports of injuries have been received.”

The Magen David Adom emergency service also said it had not received any reports of injuries as a result of the earthquake.

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said the national “Teruah” warning system was activated in accordance with official alert policy. “The alert was sent to areas close to the epicenter where the quake was felt, in order to allow maximum preparedness time in case the earthquake developed into a stronger event,” the ministry said. It added that alerts were not activated in distant areas where no damage was expected.

Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman said her ministry immediately began checks with industrial facilities in the region. “Immediately upon receiving the report of the earthquake, we began inquiries and inspections with all plants in the area to ensure there is no environmental damage or hazardous materials incident,” Silman said. “We continue to verify that operations are proceeding as usual. Public and environmental safety are our top priorities.”

In recent years, Israel has experienced a series of mild to moderate earthquakes originating from Cyprus, Syria, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Jordan Valley area, with most causing no damage but reinforcing the importance of early warning systems and emergency preparedness.