Aerial view of Heraklion, Crete, showing the city, harbor, and coastline.
Share this @internewscast.com

TERRIFIED Brits have been told to immediately evacuate coastal regions of Greece amid tsunami fears after a huge earthquake.

A 6.3-magnitude quake struck the holiday hotspots of Crete and Rhodes overnight and quickly sparked panic among holidaymakers and locals.

Aerial view of Heraklion, Crete, showing the city, harbor, and coastline.
A 6.3-magnitude quake struck the holiday hotspots of Crete and Rhodes overnightCredit: Getty
Aerial view of Koules Fortress, Heraklion, Crete.
People were told to immediately flee coastal regions as a tsunami warning was imposedCredit: Getty
Illustration of earthquake impact map showing Crete, Kasos, and Rhodes, with aerial view of Heraklion.

The quake registered a depth of 62.5 kilometres and struck as many people slept, according to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens.

Its epicentre was the tiny Aegean island of Kasos.

Even citizens in Israel reported feeling shockwaves from the powerful earthquake, The Jerusalem Post reported.

At around 3:57am on Wednesday morning a second tremor was felt south of Kasos and Karpathos which measured at 3.4-mag.

A third shortly followed which prompted emergency services to take the very rare step of releasing a tsunami warning.

Residents of Rhodes, Karpathos, and Kasos received an emergency alert warning them of “a potential tsunami risk” from Greece’s Emergency Communication Service.

Those in the shock zones were urged to avoid coastal areas and closely follow instructions from officials .

And Brits who were in southern Aegean region when the series of tremors hit have now described the ground beneath them as “wobbling like jelly”.

Crete holidaymaker Nigel Cummings said: “We didn’t just shake, the whole earth seemed to wobble like jelly.

“The text message people got warning about a tsunami frightened a lot of us.”

Tsunami warning and evacuations as 7.5 mag quake rocks Chile & Argentina coast

Anastasia, a local employee at a sea front hotel in Rhodes, added: “People here have been really shaken up. A lot haven’t slept.

“It was really powerful, so powerful they underplayed it.”

No damage or injuries have been reported as of yet.

Efthymios Lekkas, president of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, commented on the initial earthquake, stating to Greece’s public broadcaster: “The main characteristic of this strong tremor is that its focal depth was at 60 kilometres.”

“This means the seismic waves reached Kasos and Karpathos significantly weakened – and even more so in Crete – resulting, according to initial data and the first accounts from residents, in no reported impacts so far, although of course we do not yet have a complete picture.”

He added: “It was strongly felt across Crete, as well as in Rhodes, Kos and throughout the southeastern Aegean.”

We didn’t just shake, the whole earth seemed to wobble like jelly

Nigel CummingsWelsh holidaymaker in Crete

Lekkas also admitted that “we don’t yet have a complete picture” around the potential damages.

More than 624,000 people reside in Crete, with around a third of the island’s population living in the capital, Heraklion.

The region lies in one of the most seismically active zones in Europe, where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

It’s generally thought that any earthquake over 6.0 can cause damage if it hits a populated area.

Roughly 100 earthquakes with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9 are recorded each year worldwide, according to Michigan Tech University.

It comes after the idyllic Greek island of Santorini was plunged into a state of emergency in February as a total of 7,700 tremors shook the isle in two weeks.

Around 7,700 earthquakes have shaken the Santorini-Amorgos seismic zone since January 26.

Two workers in bright yellow safety vests repair a building overlooking a body of water.
Local Greek officials place caution tapes to restrict access for tourists near the coast as a precaution after quakes were felt earlier this yearCredit: AFP
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
AI helps 'Predator Poachers' expose elementary school music teacher accused of 'sexting' teen

AI Assists in Uncovering Elementary Music Teacher’s Alleged Inappropriate Texts with Teen

An oversight organization in Long Island, New York, employed Artificial Intelligence (AI)…
Charlotte teen arrested 111 times in 2 years still walking free in soft-on-crime blue city: police

Charlotte Teen’s 111 Arrests: A Startling Tale of Crime and Consequence in a Lenient City

In Charlotte, North Carolina, the community grapples with the troubling case of…
Georgia man arrested for allegedly shooting at North Carolina home after tearing down Trump banner

Georgia Resident Arrested for Alleged Gunfire at North Carolina Home Following Trump Banner Removal

Authorities have apprehended a Georgia man accused of tearing down a Trump…
FAA says air traffic controller staffing issues cause delays amid shutdown

FAA Blames Air Traffic Delays on Staffing Shortages During Government Shutdown

The ongoing government shutdown, now dragging into its 20th day, has resulted…
Brazen Louvre robbery crew may have been hired by collector, prosecutor says

Prosecutor Suggests Collector Might Be Behind Daring Louvre Heist

In a bold heist reminiscent of a movie plot, the Louvre Museum…
Crypto Scam warning: North Carolina man's account drained of $80,00 after he clicked on a link for a virtual meeting

Beware: North Carolina Resident Loses $80,000 to Crypto Scam After Clicking Virtual Meeting Link

Kenneth Nicholson, a Durham, North Carolina native, is deeply immersed in the…
Missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard spotted earlier this month, mom not cooperating: Sheriff

Sheriff: Missing 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard Recently Sighted; Mother Uncooperative in Investigation

In California, authorities are diligently searching for Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old girl…
Hong Kong cargo plane skids off runway, killing two

Tragic Hong Kong Runway Accident: Cargo Plane Skid Claims Two Lives

In a tragic turn of events at Hong Kong International Airport, two…
Amazon Web Services recovering from outage hitting many major apps, sites

AWS Outage Disrupts Numerous Popular Apps and Websites – Recovery Underway

On Monday, Amazon announced that its cloud computing service was bouncing back…
The Government Shutdown Brings an Opportunity to Reimagine FEMA, but Rogue Employees Seek Its Demise

Government Shutdown Sparks Debate: Reimagining FEMA Amidst Internal Sabotage Threats

On the eve of nationwide “No Kings” protests, a group of discontented…
Illegal immigrant allegedly causes fatal semi-truck crash on highway, killing driver: officials

Tragic Highway Collision: Unauthorized Immigrant Implicated in Fatal Semi-Truck Crash, Driver Deceased

An undocumented immigrant in Indiana has been detained following his alleged involvement…
Demolition starts at White House East Wing to make way for Trump's ballroom

Historic Transformation: White House East Wing Undergoes Demolition for Trump’s Grand Ballroom Vision

Trump has announced plans for an expansive 90,000-square-foot ballroom, citing the East…