Two earthquakes, measuring 5.3 and 4.6 on the Richter scale, struck off the island of Gavdos near Crete around midday Saturday, prompting authorities to evacuate the Samaria Gorge as a precaution while seismologists assessed whether further activity could follow.

According to the Geodynamic Institute’s revised solution, the stronger 5.3-magnitude tremor struck at 12:37 p.m., centered seven kilometers northeast of Gavdos at a depth of 13.8 kilometers. A first tremor of 4.6 magnitude had occurred minutes earlier, at 12:31 p.m., also centered seven kilometers northeast of the island, at a depth of 14.1 kilometers.

The quakes were felt across Gavdos and southern Crete, including the regional units of Chania, Rethymno, and Heraklion, though no damage has been reported so far.

Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos said it was too early to determine whether the larger tremor represented the main shock. He noted that the area lies within the central section of the Hellenic Seismic Arc, a zone with significant seismic potential, and pointed to a precedent: a powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck slightly to the east on May 14, 1959, also preceded by a strong foreshock of magnitude 4.9 just minutes before.

Samaria Gorge Evacuated

The Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency (N.E.C.C.A.) announced that the Samaria Gorge, one of Crete’s most popular hiking destinations, was closed as a precautionary measure following the tremors. At the time of the first quake, 566 visitors were inside the gorge.

Park staff responded quickly, immediately escorting around 100 hikers who had reached the sixth kilometer mark out toward the exit. The remaining visitors, who were closer to the settlement of Samaria, were being guided by National Park personnel toward the southern exit at Agia Roumeli, in Chania.
Firefighters from the Gavdos unit are patrolling the island, while precautionary patrols are also underway across southern Crete in the affected regional areas.