6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes southern coast of Crete, Greece

Tremor occurs at depth of 83 kilometres beneath the Earth's surface, no casualties reported but tsunami alert issued

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A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck off the southern coast of Crete, Greece, in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).

The tremor occurred at a depth of 83 kilometres (52 miles) beneath the Earth's surface.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported a similar event, registering a magnitude 6.0 quake just 10 miles south of Fry, a small town in Greece, and approximately 70 miles east of Ágios Nikólaos on Crete.

The quake struck just before 2:00 a.m. local time, sending tremors across the eastern Mediterranean.

Despite the strong magnitude, no immediate reports of damage or injuries have been recorded in Greece.

However, Greece’s Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection issued a precautionary tsunami alert, advising coastal residents to remain cautious and avoid seafront areas temporarily.

In Egypt, tremors were also felt, particularly along the northern coast.

The National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics confirmed that a 6.4 magnitude earthquake had been recorded 431 kilometres off the Egyptian coast, though no casualties or property damage were reported.

This latest quake follows a series of seismic events in the region, including an earthquake swarm near Santorini earlier this year that prompted evacuations.

While Wednesday's quake struck about 150 miles south of Santorini, seismologists have not confirmed any direct connection between the two seismic events.

The Eastern Mediterranean remains a seismically active zone, and authorities continue to monitor for aftershocks.