Saturday, March 29, 2025
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck near the town of Fry in Greece during the early hours of Wednesday, sending tremors across several countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at 1:51 a.m. local time at a depth of 78 kilometers beneath the earth’s surface. The seismic event did not result in immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage.
The earthquake’s impact was widely felt across borders, prompting thousands of individuals to report the tremors to Volcano Discovery, a global earthquake monitoring platform.
One tourist staying at Hotel Infinity Blue in Hersonissos, a beachside location in Crete, Greece, recounted the experience:
“My bed moved and shook on the third floor. I even turned off the air conditioner, thinking it was the cause. It woke me up, and I checked the time—it was 1:56 a.m.”
A resident in Cairo, Egypt shared a similar experience:
“The couch was shaking sideways, water bottles fell, and the lights kept swaying. Although unsettling, I didn’t feel like I was in danger. I felt it from the third floor.”
From Rhodes, another eyewitness added:
“I was lying in bed when I noticed my partner shaking. Then I realized I was also shaking. It lasted more than 30 seconds. Later, I found out it was an earthquake.”
A resident in Giza, Egypt described the aftermath in their kitchen:
“My family and I woke up to a motion like a baby swing. I looked at our bamboo plant and saw it swaying violently. Even after the shaking stopped, mugs continued to hit the kitchen wall.”
Greece is one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone countries, situated along several active fault lines. The Seismology Laboratory at the University of Athens (EKPA) reported that between January 26 and February 13, 2025, more than 18,400 low-magnitude quakes occurred off the Cyclades islands.
Despite the intensity of Wednesday’s quake, authorities have confirmed that there have been no reports of fatalities or serious damage so far.
Emergency services and seismologists continue to monitor the situation as a precaution, and residents are advised to stay alert in case of aftershocks.
