CAIRO: Egypt reopened on Thursday three ports on the Red Sea which had closed because of bad weather, an official from the Red Sea Port Authority said.

At 6 am (0400 GMT), the Adabiya, Port Taufiq and Petroleum ports were reopened after wind speeds and waves subsided, said one official, who asked not to be named.

The official said the three ports closed on Wednesday morning because of winds over 30 knots and waves rising over 3.5 m (11 feet).

The ports, which handle cargo, passengers and oil, have begun to let in ships and passenger ships, said the official.

The Suez Canal lifted restrictions on certain large vessels from 1 am on Thursday (2300 GMT Wednesday) after the weather improved, an official of the Suez Canal Authority said.