Major Earthquake Strikes Greece’s Evia Island: Latest Seismic Activity Report

Recent Seismic Activity in Greece

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake has struck near Nea Styra, a coastal town on the Greek island of Evia. The quake occurred at a depth of approximately 7 miles and was centered roughly 40 miles southeast of Athens, where tremors were felt but no immediate damage or injuries were reported.

Location and Impact

Nea Styra, located on the southern tip of Evia (Greece’s second-largest island), is known for its beaches, fishing harbor, and ferry link to mainland Attica. The wider southern Evia region features rugged mountains, dense pine forests, olive groves, and traditional villages, making it both a tourist destination and an area of natural vulnerability.

Current Seismic Situation

In the past 24 hours, Greece has experienced significant seismic activity with 121 recorded quakes. This includes 1 quake of magnitude 3.0, 36 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0, and 84 smaller quakes below magnitude 2.0, which are typically not felt by people.

Greece’s Seismic Profile

Greece holds the position as one of Europe’s most seismically active countries, situated at the complex boundary between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. While most earthquakes are moderate and cause minimal damage, the country experiences thousands of small quakes annually. Areas of particular seismic risk include Crete, the Ionian Islands, and the Aegean Sea, with even Athens experiencing significant seismic activity in recent decades.

Monitoring and Safety

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), an international, non-profit NGO with more than 70 member institutes worldwide, provides real-time earthquake information. They maintain a sophisticated system for rapid collection, determination, and dissemination of earthquake parameters, utilizing both seismic data from institutes and crowdsourced information from earthquake eyewitnesses.