AN EARTHQUAKE has hit the holiday hotspot Crete in Greece as the large 6.3-magnitude tremor hit the Mediterranean island.
The quake was at a depth of 83km, the German Research Centre for Geosciences said.
GettyThe quake was at a depth of 83km[/caption]
The US Geological Survey recorded a lower quake at 6.1 magnitude.
Citizens in Israel have reported feeling shockwaves from the earthquake, especially in the centre of the country including Tel Aviv, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Efthymios Lekkas, president of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, told the Greek public broadcaster: “The main characteristic of this strong tremor is that its focal depth was at 60 kilometres.”
“This means the seismic waves reached Kasos and Karpathos significantly weakened – and even more so in Crete – resulting, according to initial data and the first accounts from residents, in no reported impacts so far, although of course we do not yet have a complete picture.”
It was strongly felt across Crete, as well as in Rhodes, Kos and throughout the southeastern Aegean, according to Greece’s public broadcaster.
More than 624,000 people reside in Crete, with around a third of the island’s population living in Heraklion – the capital.
It’s generally thought that any earthquake over 6.0 can cause damage if it hits a populated area.
Roughly 100 earthquakes with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9 are recorded each year, according to Michigan Tech University.
It comes after the idyllic Greek island of Santorini was plunged into a state of emergency in February as a total of 7,700 tremors shook the isle in two weeks.
Around 7,700 earthquakes have shaken the Santorini-Amorgos seismic zone since January 26.
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