6.1 magnitude quake strikes off Greek island of Crete, no injuries

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck under the Mediterranean seabed east of the Greek island of Crete on Thursday, but local authorities said there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

The quake’s epicentre was 20 kilometres (around 13 miles) below sea level, 50 km east of Crete on the Cretan-Rhodes ridge where the African tectonic plate meets the Eurasian plate, the US Geological Survey said.

In Greece, the Athens Observatory said the tremor, which happened at 1821 GMT, struck some 14 km off the small island of Kassos and was strongly felt on nearby Crete.

“I jumped up from my chair, the ground shook for at least five minutes,” said Crete resident Aglaia Terzakis, who lives in the village of Rotassi.

“I did not see any material damage but it is nighttime and it’s difficult to see what has happened,” she added.

Greece is one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone countries. In January 2014, several thousand people found themselves homeless on the holiday island of Cephalonia in the Ionian Islands after a 5.8 magnitude quake.

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