Strong earthquake hits southern Greece

A strong earthquake struck southern Greece today, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

A strong earthquake struck southern Greece today, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute gave a initial magnitude of 6.5 and said the quake had an epicentre beneath the seabed 200 kilometres south-west of the capital. Shocks were felt in Athens and as far away as Cairo in Egypt.

Seismologists said aftershocks were possible and warned people in areas near the epicentre to stay away from buildings.

In January, a 6.5 quake struck another part of southern Greece.

READ MORE

Earthquakes are common in Greece, which is riddled with fault lines. In 1999, a 5.9-magnitude quake near Athens killed 143 people and left thousands homeless.