A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Evia in central Greece at 5:13 a.m. on Monday, adding to an intense seismic sequence that had kept residents on edge through the night following a stronger 5.2 magnitude tremor that was felt across the island and in the wider Athens basin.
According to the Geodynamic Institute, the epicenter of Monday morning’s quake was located 9 kilometers southwest of Prokopi, a town in northern Evia, at a focal depth of 17 kilometers.
Schools closed, Panhellenic Exams proceed
Local authorities ordered primary schools in the municipality to remain closed Monday. Secondary schools were already not in session due to examinations. Greece’s Panhellenic Exams, the national university entrance examinations, proceeded as scheduled after testing centers were inspected and deemed safe.
A night of rolling tremors
The 4.3 magnitude quake was the largest in a rapid succession of tremors that rattled the area through the night. At 3:00 a.m., a 3.5 magnitude tremor was recorded 8 kilometers southwest of Prokopi at a depth of 15 kilometers. Five minutes later, at 3:05 a.m., another 3.5 magnitude quake struck roughly the same area, at a depth of 15.5 kilometers.
Strong earthquakes rocked northern Evia on Sunday, June 7, 2026, causing damage, landslides and road disruptions in villages near the epicenter of Prokopi. (THODORIS NIKOLAOU/ EUROKINISSI)
Two more tremors followed at 3:29 a.m. and 3:34 a.m., measuring 2.8 and 3.0 on the Richter scale respectively, with focal depths of 13.3 and 1.7 kilometers. A further 3.0 magnitude quake was recorded at 3:52 a.m. in the same area, and an earlier 3.4 magnitude tremor had also been recorded with its epicenter 6 kilometers southwest of Prokopi at a depth of 11.2 kilometers.
Seismologists: Activity expected to continue
Efthymios Lekkas, president of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation (OASP) and emeritus professor of Dynamic Tectonics, Applied Geology and Natural Disaster Management at the University of Athens, told ERT, Greece’s public broadcaster, that the sequence was not cause for alarm but was likely to continue for several more days.
“This did not alarm me. We are heading in the right direction. Activity like this is actually welcome, as it suggests the stress is being released. We have to always remain vigilant, of course,” Lekkas said. “Taking into account historical data and the faults in the area, I believe everything will be fine. There have been identical seismic episodes in the area in 2023 and 2025.”
He added that the current sequence still had some way to run, with tremors expected to remain at similar magnitudes, noting that a comparable episode in the area lasted ten days on a previous occasion and five days in 2023. On structural damage, Lekkas said no more than 15 homes across affected villages had sustained serious damage, most of them unoccupied, with a small number housing elderly residents. The area’s numerous active faults and the sequence’s different mechanism from a prior earthquake mean the activity poses no cause for concern for Athens, seismologists said.
Inspections and financial aid
Starting Monday, June 8, engineers from DAEFK, the Greek state agency responsible for post-earthquake building assessments, began conducting on-site inspections. Buildings will be classified under a color system: green for safe, yellow for partially damaged, and red for severely damaged or unsafe.
Residents whose homes receive a yellow or red classification may apply to their local municipality for financial assistance, submitting documentation including tax forms, a family status certificate and the engineers’ inspection report. Aid is set at up to 4,000 euros for yellow-classified buildings and up to 6,000 euros for red-classified ones. Reconstruction support of up to 1,000 euros per square meter is also available for properties of up to 150 square meters. The entire process is expected to be completed within one week.
