site.btaMagnitude 5.1 Earthquake in Greece Causes Cracks in Old Buildings

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Mount Athos on Halkidiki in Greece at 21:08 local time on Wednesday, causing cracks in old buildings, local media reported. According to the local news site voria.gr, in the town of Karyes, the administrative centre of Mount Athos, the earthquake caused cracks in older buildings, but there was no serious damage or casualties. 

Voria.gr cited monks reporting damage to old sketes and cells, while pilgrims said the earthquake was rather long and accompanied by a loud rumble in coastal areas.

According to the Laboratory of Geophysics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the epicentre was located 8 kilometres northwest of Karyes. Smaller aftershocks followed.

Efthymios Lekkas, President of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, warned of the possibility of further weaker tremors, national broadcaster ERT reported.