Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake off Karpathos – also felt on Rhodes and Crete

No injuries, no major damage

Authorities initially reported no injuries or damage. The island's mayor stated on Greek broadcaster ERTNews that no significant damage had been identified. The responsible authorities on Rhodes and Crete also initially made no statements regarding possible effects on ongoing tourism operations.

The tremor occurred south of Karpathos at the plate boundary where the African plate slides beneath the European plate. In this subduction zone, tectonic tensions repeatedly build up and are released through earthquakes. The region is therefore one of the most seismically active zones in the eastern Mediterranean.

Seismically active region between Africa and Europe

Greece lies on several fracture lines in the Earth's crust, making earthquakes in this Mediterranean country not uncommon. Just ten days ago, a magnitude 5.0 tremor had already occurred off the coast of Karpathos. However, authorities see no indication in this clustering that a stronger earthquake is imminent.

A magnitude of 5.2 on the moment magnitude scale corresponds to a moderate earthquake, which can typically cause light damage to buildings when the epicenter is located nearby. However, since this time the center was approximately 13 kilometers below the seabed and several dozen kilometers from inhabited coastlines, the effects on land remained minor according to current findings.

Impact on tourism minimal so far

The report was disseminated via the news agencies APA and AFP. Local Greek media and international agencies picked up the initial report from the Geodynamic Institute in Athens. As of Thursday evening, there were no reports of aftershocks of notable magnitude.

The Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete are among the most-visited destinations in the Mediterranean. On Rhodes alone, major tourist events and cruise ship calls have repeatedly been accompanied by earthquakes of varying magnitudes in recent years. Authorities emphasized that air and maritime traffic on the affected islands was not impacted.