Crete earthquake: Strong 5.6-magnitude quake shakes Greek island as plates shift – World news

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The Greek island of Crete was already hit by a 5.2-magnitude earthquake earlier today before a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck.

The earthquake hit this afternoon (

Photo: Getty Images)

The Greek island of Crete was hit by a series of strong earthquakes, with several earthquakes recorded offshore.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook the Earth just before 9 p.m. local time 10 km below the surface on Sunday, December 26, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

But the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center said the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4.

The shallow tremor came on the heels of another earthquake that had registered 5.2 on the Richter scale just hours earlier at 5.15pm.

Data from the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center shows that the Aegean island also experienced smaller tremors of magnitude 3 on the Richter scale at 6 pm.

Local news websites reported that there were no reports of injuries or material damage so far.

But it is understood that shallow earthquakes appear to be much stronger because they are closer to the surface of the Earth.

The island was hit by another major earthquake just a few months ago, in October, when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit the southern coast of Crete.

The authorities said at the time that the ripples were being felt as far as Turkey and Cyprus.

In September, one person was killed and others injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck across the island.

Crete lies within a complex geological boundary zone in the eastern Mediterranean, between the African plate and the Eurasian plate.

The Aegean plate is moving southwest relative to the Eurasian plate at a rate of 30 mm (1 in) per year while the African plate is declining northward, under the Aegean plate, at a rate of 40 mm (1.6 in) per year. The Greek Correspondent wrote.

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