Southern Greece hit by earthquakes, no major impact expected

On the morning of Friday, March 29, an earthquake struck off the coast of western Peloponnese in southern Greece. Two shocks were recorded, with magnitudes of 5.7 and 4.0 on the Richter scale. Local media report that vibrations were also felt near Athens.

The website kathimerini.com reports that the shocks occurred on Friday after 9 a.m. local time off the coast of western Peloponnese. According to the Greek Institute of Geodynamics (GEIN), the first earthquake had a magnitude of 4.0 and the second 5.7 on the Richter scale.

The epicentre of both earthquakes was in the Ionian Sea, about 19 miles off the Peloponnese coast near the Strofades islands. However, the tremors were felt on the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia, as well as in towns about 125 miles away from Athens.

In an interview with kathimerini.com, Efthymios Lekkas, a geology and disaster management professor at the University of Athens, said that the earthquake "seems to have had no impact on the infrastructure of buildings or people."

Geologist Efthymis Lekkas stated that this earthquake was superficial on the Greek arch; however, it should not have a major impact on building infrastructure and human safety.

- Residents of the Peloponnese should not worry. The strength is consistent with expectations for the area where the earthquake occurred - assured Athanasios Ganas, the research director at the Greek Institute of Geodynamics.

Fire Brigade patrols are currently assessing whether any damage has occurred.

Greece lies in a highly seismically active region, and earthquakes are quite common. The vast majority do not cause any destruction or result in only minor damage.