Powerful quake in Crete felt in Cyprus

A powerful earthquake just off the Greek island of Crete on Tuesday, was felt in Cyprus some 600km away, according to the Geological Survey Department.

The magnitude 6.3 quake with a shallow depth of 2 km took place at 12.24pm on Tuesday.

The quake had its epicentre in sea, some 23 km east of the village of Zakros in eastern Crete, the Athens Geodynamic Institute said.

“This earthquake was felt in a large part of the island mainly by tenants of tall buildings, despite the great distance from the epicentre,” said the Cypriot geological survey department.

According to a Reuters report, the 6.3 magnitude quake caused minor damage on the Greek island and there were no immediate reports of casualties after the tremor.

“We don’t have reports of injuries,” a fire brigade official told Reuters. “There might be some minor damages to old buildings.”

Tuesday’s quake woke memories of a strong quake shook Crete last month, which killed one person and caused serious damage to buildings.