A powerful earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale hit on Wednesday morning the sea area between the islands of Kythera and Crete, in southern Greece.
The tremor at 9:23 a.m. local time was felt as far as Athens.
According to the Athens Geodynamics Institute, the epicentre was located 258 kilometers south of Athens.
There are no reports of damage so far.
Local sites in Crete say that the tremor caused panic in the western parts of the island and in the region of Chania in particular. Nea Kriti reports that many residents fled from their homes.
The mayor of the town of Kissamos announced that all schools will remain closed on Wednesday.
According to the head of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, Professor Eftymios Lekkas the earthquake was at great depth and it is not likely that will produce aftershocks.
Speaking to iefimerida.gr, he also ruled out that it is linked to the deadly earthquake that hit Albania on Monday evening.
Professor of Seismology Akis Tselentis also told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency that the tremor is not related to the Albanian earthquake.
“It is an earthquake independent of the Albanian one and because of its large focal depth – about 70 kilometers – it will have no continuity. Such earthquakes are widely felt because of their focal depth,” Tselentis said.