Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes near Trikala, landslides reported

A 5.0-magnitude tremor struck 31 kilometers southwest of the city of Trikala in central Greece on Friday morning, causing landslides on rural roads, according to state-run news agency ANA-MPA. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The earthquake hit shortly after 10 a.m. at a depth of 1.8 kilometers, according to a preliminary reading of the Athens Institute of Geodynamics.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre gave a reading of 5.1 for the same tremor.

The epicentre is located west of the town of Mouzaki, 17 kilometres southwest of Trikala and was felt in a wide area extending from the Ionian islands to the the city of Lamia and further north to Katerini, Seismology Professor Efthimios Lekkas told Greek TV channel SKAI.

The main quake was followed by a 4.1 tremor with the same epicentre. 

“Half of the country shook,” Lekkas said. “Although the area where the tremor happened does not present severe seismicity, there may be damages on the old houses in the villages of Pindos which we know are not maintained and have suffered from wear and tear.”

Lekkas said authorities are focusing on the landslides in villages that have already had landslides over the winter months, such as the village of Repotos.

“The situation is under control and we monitor the development of the activity,” he added.

Mouzaki mayor Giorgos Kotsos appealed to the residents of the wider municipality to report any damages to the authorities, in order to have a clearer picture of the problems created in infrastructure.