Off The Record
Powerful Earthquake Strikes Crete — Residents Flee As Fears Of Widespread Damage Grow
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 occurred on Wednesday on the Greek island of Crete.
According to the centre, the depth of the earthquake was 83 kilometres, or 51.57 miles.
With a magnitude of 6.1, the US Geological Survey (USGS) registered a slightly smaller earthquake.
Although the USGS predicts that there is low chance of landslides or liquefaction—the loss of the ground’s structural integrity—occurring, the extent of the island’s existing devastation is unknown.
The USGS estimates that the tremors will have likely been felt along the western coast of Turkey and on dozens of Greek islands.
It is probable that tremors were also felt inland, in the vicinity of Turkey’s Muğla and Aydın provinces.
There have been reports of shaking as far away as Israel, Syria, and Egypt.
The area is located where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates converge, making it one of Europe’s most seismically active zones.
This region frequently experiences earthquakes, especially along the Hellenic Arc, which has previously produced a number of significant and destructive occurrences.
Over 624,000 people call Crete home, with Heraklion, the island’s capital, housing about one-third of the population.
With 15% of tourists landing in Heraklion, the island is also one of the most visited vacation spots in all of Greece.
Any earthquake with a magnitude greater than 6.0 has the potential to cause damage if it strikes a populated region.
An estimated 100 earthquakes with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9 are recorded year, according to Michigan Tech University.
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