5.8 Magnitude Strong Earthquake Hits Crete Island, Greece... At Least 10 Casualties Reported

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete, resulting in at least 10 casualties.

According to foreign news agencies such as AP and AFP on the 27th (local time), the earthquake occurred at around 9:17 a.m. near a point 25 km southeast of Heraklion on Crete Island. Residents in the affected areas, including Heraklion near the epicenter, rushed out into the streets, and students attending classes evacuated urgently to the playground, causing ongoing confusion.

The Greek Seismological Institute reported the earthquake magnitude as 5.8, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured it at 6.0. The depth of the epicenter was estimated to be about 10 km.

The Greek government has reported that at least one person has died and nine others have been injured due to the earthquake. The deceased was a worker repairing a church building in the village of Arkalohori, near the epicenter. The worker is believed to have lost his life when the roof collapsed.

Following the initial earthquake, about 20 aftershocks of varying magnitudes have continued, raising concerns about additional damage. The strongest aftershock was recorded at magnitude 4.6.