A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck northwestern Greece late Friday morning, marking the strongest tremor in a series of seismic events that have unsettled residents across the Epirus region.
The quake was recorded at 11:05 a.m. local time and was widely felt in the city of Ioannina and surrounding areas. According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the epicenter was located about 10 kilometers north-northeast of the village of Agia Kyriaki, near Ioannina.
Despite its moderate magnitude, the earthquake caused concern due to its very shallow focal depth of just 5 kilometers, which made the shaking more intense and noticeable across the Ioannina basin and nearby communities.
Ongoing seismic activity in Epirus
The late-morning tremor was the third earthquake recorded in the region within a few hours, highlighting a period of heightened seismic activity in Epirus, a mountainous area in northwestern Greece.
Earlier in the day, two smaller earthquakes struck the regional unit of Thesprotia. The first occurred at 9:22 a.m. local time, measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter 11 kilometers north-northwest of Leptokarya and a focal depth of 10 kilometers.
Just minutes later, at 9:25 a.m., a second tremor measuring 2.8 was recorded, with its epicenter located 9 kilometers southwest of Paramythia, also at a depth of 10 kilometers. Both quakes were felt locally.
Authorities and scientific institutions are closely monitoring the ongoing seismic sequence.
Early-morning quake in western Peloponnese
Seismic activity was not limited to Epirus. Earlier in the morning, at 3:49 a.m., a separate earthquake measuring 4.1 struck the region of Ilia in the western Peloponnese.
The Geodynamic Institute reported that the epicenter was located about 6 kilometers northwest of Giannitsochori, with a focal depth of 15.1 kilometers. The tremor was felt across several areas of Ilia.
Experts urge calm
Seismologists have sought to reassure the public as the frequency of tremors continues to raise concern.
Geology and geophysics professor Gerasimos Papadopoulos said the recent activity west of Ioannina is part of an aftershock sequence following a stronger earthquake on March 8, which measured 5.3 on the Richter scale.
While earthquakes are occurring frequently and their epicenters vary, experts stress that this pattern is consistent with typical aftershock behavior.
Still, the ongoing seismic activity has kept residents in Epirus on alert, as tremors continue to be felt across the region.
