6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Greece; Tsunami Warning Issued

Athens: A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Crete, Greece, early Thursday morning, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The tremor prompted European authorities to issue a tsunami warning.

The earthquake occurred at 6:19 a.m. local time, about 58 km north-northeast of Elounda in northeastern Crete, with an estimated depth of 60 km.

While no injuries or significant damage have been reported so far, the quake was strongly felt across Crete and neighboring islands, leaving residents shaken. Multiple aftershocks followed the initial tremor, prompting fire services on Crete to be placed on high alert.

Speaking to national broadcaster ERT, Efthimios Lekkas, President of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, said the epicenter was likely located offshore.

Greece, situated on multiple active fault lines between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, is one of the most seismically active regions in Europe and regularly experiences earthquakes.

Earlier this week, authorities temporarily closed schools on Evia Island after a series of smaller quakes over the weekend. At least three tremors—ranging between 4.1 and 4.5 in magnitude—were recorded in central Evia near Prokopi village, followed by numerous aftershocks.

The strongest of those, a 4.5-magnitude quake, struck early Monday and was felt as far south as Athens, roughly 80 km away, according to the National Observatory of Athens and Xinhua News Agency.

Giorgos Tsapourniotis, mayor of the Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna municipality, reported damage to at least 20 buildings, including homes, shops, and a monastery.

Greece also experienced another significant 6.1-magnitude quake on May 13, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

With inputs from IANS