An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck off the southern Greek resort island of Crete, as reported by authorities. The earthquake occurred between Crete and the islet of Gavdos at a depth of 11.6 kilometers (7 miles) on Wednesday at 7:29 p.m. local time. Fortunately, no injuries or damages have been reported as of yet.
The Athens Geodynamic Institute confirmed the undersea quake and the Fire Service stated they have not received any reports of injuries or building damages. Media outlets in Greece mentioned that the earthquake was felt across Crete, a popular summer tourist destination.
Greece is situated in a highly seismically active region, making earthquakes a common occurrence, although most are not strongly felt. Severe damage and casualties are infrequent. However, in 1999, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake near Athens resulted in the loss of 143 lives.