6.1-magnitude quake hits off Greek island of Crete – USGS
People walk in the old town of Chania on the Greek mediterranean island of Crete on July 19, 2022, while temperatures remain at normal for the season levels despite the heatwave in northern parts of Europe. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
ATHENS — A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said.
The strong quake struck 82 kilometers (51 miles) northeast of Crete’s capital Heraklion, at a depth of 68 kilometers, the USGS said.
The region popular with tourists has been rattled by multiple tremors in recent months, prompting schools in Santorini and neighboring islands to close temporarily.
READ: 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes near Fry, Greece – USGS
Thousands of earthquakes, mainly of low magnitude, were recorded from late January between the islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Ios and Anafi in the Cyclades group southeast of the Greek mainland.
The seismic swarm caused no casualties or significant damage.
Located where the African and Anatolian tectonic plates converge, the Aegean Sea is often hit by quakes.
READ: Greece on high alert as quakes shake Santorini island
But the region had not experienced a phenomenon of such magnitude since records began in 1964, experts said.
