Relevant authorities say tremor felt on Monday unlikely to be an earthquake

The rattle felt by some residents in the western region at dawn on Monday may not be an earthquake, says the Libyan Remote Sensing and Space Center, adding that it could not confirm such reports as global observatories did not record any tremor in Libya at that time.

"The accredited international observatories through which the centre monitors seismic activity did not detect any earthquake, but many residents contacted the centre to report a rattle they felt at dawn on Monday," the centre said.

The tremor, which some reported might be a tectonic shift in the Azizia Fault that extends to the Nafusa mountain from Al-Khums to Wazen, the centre explained.

According to the statement, such light tremors constantly occur in Libya but are not considered earthquake predictions.

"The issue was merely a natural manifestation due to a tectonic shift in Libya's geological landscape."

The centre said it is in contact with the government to get the seismic equipment working again, as they have been out of service for about a decade, noting that Libya relies on data issued by observatories in neighboring countries.