Crete and Santorini shake again with a magnitude 6.1 earthquake

BarcelonaA new 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini early Thursday morning. Although the epicenter was located about 82 kilometers from the city of Iraklio, the capital of Crete, the quake was felt in Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, and Israel. Initially, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center issued a tsunami warning, but Greek authorities eventually dismissed it because the earthquake struck quite far from the coast and at a great depth, approximately 64 kilometers.

This Friday morning, "earthquakes in the northeast area of Santorini continue, but with less frequency, and are also of small magnitudes," Nikolaos S. Melis, director of the Geodynamics Research Institute at the National Observatory of Athens, told ARA.

So far, no injuries or serious material damage have been reported, according to the Greek Fire Service. The earthquake only caused small landslides and the collapse of some old, uninhabited houses. "An earthquake with an intermediate focal depth, although widely felt—a common characteristic of this type of earthquake—has a greater impact on tall, old buildings that have not been properly maintained," Melis describes.

In Crete, where the tremors have been most intense, schools remain open. However, authorities have decided to close the Imbros Gorge—one of the island's most touristic spots—as a precautionary measure due to the small landslides recorded.

Greece, accustomed to experiencing earthquakes

The Hellenic country is one of the most prone to earthquakes in Europe due to its location, in one of the most active tectonic zones on the planet. In the region where the islands of Santorini and Crete meet, the African and Eurasian tectonic plates converge, along with a complex network of faults and microplates that generate not only earthquakes but also underwater volcanic activity.

This latest earthquake occurred just a week after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake off eastern Crete. This earthquake also triggered a tsunami warning for the nearby islands of Carpathians and Kastos. "The seismic risk has not changed because of these two strong events, and we must continue with business as usual," Melis adds. "We must not forget that we are in an area of high seismic activity, but people who come here can rest assured, as buildings are constructed following a strict building code that is reviewed and updated as necessary."

In February, Santorini—a tourist destination with more than 3.4 million visitors annually—experienced a significant seismic event. Nearly 11,000 people left the island. and schools had to close after a succession of more than 6,400 seismic movements and two major earthquakes of magnitude greater than 4.1 in the maritime area between Santorini, Amorgos and Ios.