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An earthquake struck Crete

5/14/25

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of the island of Crete this morning. Authorities have issued a tsunami warning as the tremor was felt in Egypt, Syria and Israel. Tourists have been warned to avoid coastal areas.

Photo:Depositphotos

The earthquake struck at a depth of 35 kilometers and its epicenter was near the islands of Kasos and Karpathos in the Aegean Sea. A warning was also issued for tourists on the island of Rhodes and residents were urged to temporarily move to higher ground.

The Samaria Gorge, one of the most popular hiking trails in Crete, was also closed due to the earthquake. Workers are still checking for damage to any sections of the trail before it will reopen. Many sections are at risk of rockfalls.

So far, no government has decided to issue travel advisories for Greece so no compensation will be given for cancelled trips. No injuries were reported as a result of the earthquake, and no major material damage has been reported.

There is some debate about the magnitude of the earthquake. According to the German Research Center for Geosciences the tremor was 6.3 magnitude. In contrast the US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude of 6.1.

The island of Crete and its surrounding islands are considered one of the most active areas in Europe. It is here that the African and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The last time such strong earthquakes occurred here in short succession was in 2021. It is worth noting that every year, approximately a hundred earthquakes with a magnitude of six to seven strike our planet.

Source:Euronews