Two earthquakes struck northern Evia early Monday morning, causing concern among residents and prompting immediate safety measures. According to the Athens Geodynamic Institute, the first tremor, measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale, occurred at 03:23 AM, followed by a 3.6-magnitude aftershock about 20 minutes later.
The epicenter of the 4.5-magnitude quake was located 3 kilometers east of Prokopi, at a depth of 16.9 kilometers, while the subsequent aftershock was recorded 8 kilometers east-northeast of Prokopi, also at a relatively shallow depth. Both tremors were strongly felt in the wider Attica region, including Athens.
In response, local authorities announced that schools across the municipality of Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna would remain closed for the day, allowing engineering teams to conduct on-site inspections of public and private buildings to assess their structural integrity. According to local officials, cracks have been reported in 20 buildings, including homes, shops, and the museum of Saint John the Russian.
Seismologist and President of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), Efthymios Lekkas, offered a reassuring assessment, stating that the seismic activity in the region is consistent with known tectonic behavior.
“This is the third quake above 4.0 in the past 24 hours,” Lekkas said. “We had anticipated a sequence of earthquakes in the 4 to 5 magnitude range, based on similar past activity in the area. The tectonic structure here tends to produce these moderate quakes over a few days. We don’t see any reason for serious concern at this stage, but we are monitoring the phenomenon closely.”
Sunday had already seen a series of smaller tremors in the same area, with the two strongest reaching 4.4 and 4.1 on the Richter scale, both with shallow focal depths of 13 and 12 kilometers, which contributed to their being felt as far away as Athens.
Although no injuries or severe damage have been reported, civil protection authorities have issued guidelines to local residents and remain on alert.
Specialist teams from the Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport’s Division for the Recovery from the Impact of Natural Disasters (DAEFK) are expected to finalize structural evaluations over the next 24 hours.
Evia, which has a low to moderate seismic risk, has experienced similar seismic swarms in recent years, typically without escalating to stronger quakes. Nonetheless, scientists emphasize the importance of preparedness and caution, especially in densely populated or structurally vulnerable areas.
