Two earthquakes registering 2.65 and 3.1 on the Richter Scale struck the west of Jeddah on Sunday, but there were no reports of injuries, loss of life or damage to property.
Zuhair Nawab, president of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), said that the first earthquake occurred at 7:20 p.m. at a depth of 17.37 km, and 155 km out in the Red Sea. Another earthquake followed 3 minutes later, at a depth of 32 km underground.
He said Jeddah residents did not feel the second earthquake because of the huge amount of water and rock in the sea.
There were no reports of any property damage or loss of life by the Civil Defense, he said.
Nawab said it was natural for the western part of the Arabian Peninsula to have earthquakes. It was important for the media to educate people about earthquakes, he said.
He said municipalities in the region should ensure that all new buildings must conform to construction regulations, to withstand seismic activity.
Abdullah Al-Omari, supervisor at the Center for Seismic Studies and president of the Saudi Society for Geosciences, confirmed that the earthquakes took place.
2 quakes hit west Jeddah
2 quakes hit west Jeddah
Pakistan confers second-highest civilian award on Saudi commerce minister for strengthening ties
- Ambassador Ahmad Farooq confers Hilal-e-Pakistan on Majid Al-Kassabi in Riyadh
- Award reflects the depth of the longstanding partnership and strong trade relations between the Kingdom and Pakistan
RIYADH: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmad Farooq has conferred the country’s second-highest civilian award on Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi for his role in strengthening ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, Pakistan’s Embassy in Saudi Arabia said.
Farooq presented the Hilal-e-Pakistan to Al-Kassabi during a meeting in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The parties also discussed ways to enhance bilateral trade relations.
“On behalf of the president of Pakistan, Ambassador Ahmad Farooq conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan on Majid Al-Kassabi, minister of commerce of Saudi Arabia, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to strengthening Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations,” the embassy wrote on X.
The award reflects the depth of the longstanding partnership and strong trade relations between the Kingdom and Pakistan and serves as an impetus to further strengthen joint cooperation for the benefit of both countries and their peoples, the SPA reported.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial ties that date back decades and include cooperation in several sectors such as defense, trade, economy, agriculture, livestock and minerals.
Saudi Arabia is the largest source of foreign remittances to Pakistan, with over 2 million Pakistani expats residing in the Kingdom. Riyadh has also helped Pakistan during several economic crises over the years, providing oil on deferred payments and loans in critical times.
The two countries signed a landmark strategic partnership agreement in September 2025, according to which an act of aggression against one country will be seen as an attack on both.
