5.2-magnitude tremor strikes off Greek island of Crete

PTI, Dec 27, 2021, 10:08 AM IST

Athens: A 5.2-magnitude earthquake has jolted Greece’s southern islands, but no damage or casualties have been reported so far.

The tremor struck at 5:15 p.m. (1515 GMT) east of the island of Crete and at the depth of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), the Institute of Geodynamics reported in Athens.

The earthquake was felt in Crete and the islands of Karpathos, Kassos, Rhodes and Santorini, according to local media.

An unrelated 4.0-magnitude tremor also hit at 6:14 p.m. (1614 GMT) west of Athens, the Institute of Geodynamics reported. The epicenter was at a depth of 16.7 kilometers (10.4 miles), it said.

Tremors of that magnitude are not uncommon in Greece, which lies close to a meeting point between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.