2 strong tremors strike off Greek island of Crete

Two tremors with magnitude of 5.2 and 5.4, respectively, have jolted Greece’s southern islands, but no damage or casualties have been reported so far.

The first tremor, a 5.2-magnitude, struck at 5.15pm (1515 GMT) east of the island of Crete and at a depth of 9 kilometres, the Institute of Geodynamics reported in Athens. The earthquake was felt in Crete and the islands of Karpathos, Kassos, Rhodes and Santorini, according to local media.

Tremors of that magnitude are not uncommon in Greece, which lies close to a meeting point between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. A second earthquake being stronger than the first is a rare occurrence.

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