In a recent statement the prominent Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos shared his assessment of the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Kasos in the early hours of Wednesday, May 14.
According to Papadopoulos, the significant distance from populated areas, combined with the considerable focal depth of 70 kilometers of the quake, prevented any negative consequences. His remarks were made in a social media post, where he emphasized that the geological conditions mitigated the impact on local communities.
Although the quake was felt strongly in areas as far as North Africa, Cyprus, and the Middle East, its aftershock sequence is expected to be weak.
Papadopoulos noted that the event, which occurred south of Kasos and Karpathos along the eastern Greek seismic arc, marked the end of a seismic lull that had persisted since October 12, 2021, when a tremor of the same magnitude was recorded in the region.
He also indicated that further analysis of the seismotectonic consequences would follow, as these might be significant in the short to medium term.
Michalis Erotokritos, the mayor of Kasos, stated that no impacts have been reported on either Kasos or the nearby island of Karpathos.
In addition, Professor Efthymios Lekkas, a geology expert and president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), highlighted that the primary characteristic of this seismic event was its focal depth of 60 kilometers.
This depth caused the seismic movement to reach Kasos, Karpathos, and even Crete in a weakened state, resulting in no significant effects according to preliminary reports and local residents’ descriptions.
Lekkas also pointed out that earthquakes at such depths tend to occur as single, isolated events, rather than being accompanied by extensive foreshock or aftershock sequences. He emphasized that the earthquake took place along the Hellenic Arc, where the European and African tectonic plates meet.
