Two noticeable earthquakes shake central Greece – Athens also affected

According to the Geodynamic Institute, the tremors were also clearly felt in Athens. The capital is located around 90 kilometers south of the epicenter. There were initially no reports of collapsed buildings or injuries. According to the institute, rescue services and authorities were on heightened alert to be able to respond to possible consequences.

Initial assessment of the situation by the authorities

Local mayors stated on the radio that the authorities had begun to get an overview of the situation. "Die Behörden begannen, sich einen Überblick zu verschaffen, wie lokale Bürgermeister im Rundfunk berichteten." Initial reports indicated that while there was no serious damage, several small landslides were triggered in the mountainous region. "Es habe jedoch zahlreiche kleinere Erdrutsche gegeben, hieß es." Roads and paths in the hills around Mantoudi were mainly affected.

The island of Euboea is the second-largest Greek island and lies directly off the east coast of the Greek mainland. The small town of Mantoudi is located on the northwest coast of the island and is surrounded by agricultural land and forested hills. Due to the geographic conditions, earthquakes there can more easily trigger landslides.

Greece as an earthquake region

Greece is located in one of the most seismically active regions in Europe. The entire eastern Mediterranean lies at the junction of the African and Eurasian continental plates, which are slowly shifting against each other. "Dadurch kommt es immer wieder zu teils spürbaren Erdbeben, auch in dicht besiedelten Gebieten wie der Region um Athen." The region around the capital in particular, as well as the island groups of the Aegean, are considered especially at risk from earthquakes.

In the past, Greece has also repeatedly had to deal with severe earthquakes. As recently as January 2026, the island of Santorini and other Cyclades islands were affected by an unusual series of partly noticeable tremors that led to thousands of evacuations. In October 2025, a magnitude 6.0 quake had struck the island of Crete, which was also followed by several aftershocks.

Earlier severe earthquakes in the region

The Greek earthquake observatory is one of the oldest and best-equipped institutes of its kind in Europe. It monitors seismic activity in the country around the clock and publishes data on every registered quake. This information serves both scientific research and civil protection.

No definitive information on the exact extent of the damage in the Euboea region was yet available on Sunday afternoon. Observers expected that aftershocks could further worsen the situation in the coming days. In Greece, it is common for authorities to check schools and public buildings for possible damage after noticeable tremors as a precaution.

The Greek civil protection authority urged the public to stay away from buildings in the event of stronger aftershocks and to follow the instructions of local authorities. The app of its disaster warning system also sent initial notifications to citizens in the affected regions.