Strong earthquake strikes off Crete Island in Greece, no casualties reported

A 6.0 magnitude quake struck off the Greek island of Crete on Saturday but there were no quick reports of casualties or damage.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute stated the epicentre was about 55 kilometres south of the city of Ierapetra. It hit at 1251 GMT (15:51 pm).

A local police officer told AFP by telephone, “No victims or serious damage has been reported so far.”

Greece is prone to earthquakes, with many occurring offshore. The last deadly quake happened on the island of Kos in the Aegean Sea in July 2017. The 6.7-magnitude quake killed two people.

The most dangerous temblor in recent years struck the Athens region in 1999, killing 143 people.