Magnitude 5.2 earthquake jolts Greek island of Kythera

A strong earthquake jolted the Greek island of Kythera on Wednesday. There were no reports of serious damage or injuries.

The Geodynamic Institute in Athens said the undersea earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 and occurred at 4.51 a.m. local time 41 kilometres off the island’s northwestern coast. The quake was at a depth of 60 kilometers.

Speaking on Skai radio, Efthymios Lekkas, professor of geology and natural disaster management and president of the Organization for Anti-Seismic Planning and Protection (OASP), played down the earthquake and the risk of a larger one.

Earthquakes are very common in Greece, which is one of the world’s most seismically active areas.