Tuesday, June 3 – The University of Athens Seismological Laboratory has confirmed that a strong earthquake of 6.0 on the Richter scale struck early this morning at 02:17 (local time) in the sea area between the island of Rhodes and the Turkish mainland.

The laboratory reported that the epicentre of the earthquake was located 29.9 kilometres northeast of Rhodes and had a focal depth of 80 km.

The shaking was long-lasting and was felt across all the islands of the Dodecanese, with minor damage being reported, but no injuries. As a precaution, the Rhodes Fire Department is carrying out checks of properties. However, the earthquake caused a 14-year-old girl in Turkey to have an intense panic attack, and although she was taken to a local hospital, she sadly died. A further 69 people in Turkey have been reported as injured.

Seismologists have stated that due to its depth, it would have little effect on the surface and is likely the main event, with substantial aftershocks not anticipated.

The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) estimated, for its part, that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 and occurred at a focal depth of 68 kilometres.