A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Thursday about 170 km (105 miles) southwest of the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) has said.

The tremor hit at 3:44 am at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles).

The epicentre of the earthquake was 142 km (88 miles) southeast of the Mediterranean governorate of Marsa Matrouh and 66 kilometres (41 miles) southwest of the provincial town of El-Alamein, EMSC added.

No injuries or damage has been reported.

The most destructive earthquake in Egypt's modern history struck Cairo in October 1992, at a magnitude of 5.8, killing more than 500 people, injuring thousands and displacing tens of thousands.