According to the Athens Geodynamic Institute’s Automatic Solution, a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Crete on Thursday morning. The epicenter was located 55 kilometers north-northeast of Neapoli in the region of Lasithi, at a focal depth of 37 kilometers, and the tremor was felt as far as Athens.
Speaking to ERT News, the President of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), Efthymios Lekkas, noted that the quake’s considerable depth was a positive factor. He also clarified that the quake occurred along a trench and not on the Hellenic Arc, expressing optimism that no major damage would occur in Crete.
Reports from residents on the island describe a strong and long-lasting tremor that caused alarm, as it struck in the early hours of the morning.
A few minutes later, a 3.1 magnitude aftershock was recorded.
According to the Fire Department, a landslide occurred on Crete along a road called Myros–Tertsa, located in southern Lasithi. Traffic in the area has been suspended.
