Three strong earthquakes shook several areas of Attica on Sunday afternoon. The first tremor measured 4.8 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located 6 kilometers south of Prokopi in Evia.
A second earthquake measuring 4.3 struck the same area, followed a few minutes later by the strongest tremor, which reached 5.2 magnitude and also had its epicenter near Prokopi.
The earthquakes were strongly felt across many regions, including Attica. Following the three major tremors, three additional aftershocks of around magnitude 3 occurred in the wider area.
Professor of Seismology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Kostas Papazachos, described the event as a series of “successive earthquakes.” He noted that northern Evia is an area with many active fault lines and stressed that the seismic activity was not considered alarming.
“We have extensive landslides, but no injuries have been recorded,” Mayor Giannis Tsapourniotis told state broadcaster ERT. He said the landslides occurred on roads in the Plakia and Dafnousa areas.
According to Deputy Mayor Argyris Liaskos, damage has been reported to homes in Dafnousa, with large cracks appearing in some buildings. Residents were able to evacuate safely before being placed in danger.
Seismologist Athanasios Ganas told ERT that the first quake, measuring 4.8, occurred at 12:58 p.m. He described it as a moderate tremor, followed four minutes later by the stronger 5.2-magnitude earthquake.
“The area has produced similar earthquakes before,” he said. “The fault lies behind Mount Kondyli. It is a known fault and does not have a large seismic potential. We do not yet know whether this was the main earthquake.”
He added that the region has not historically produced earthquakes above magnitude 6, typically generating quakes in the 5.0–5.5 range. “There was no seismic sequence that could have warned us in advance,” he concluded.
Ganas also called for inspections of older buildings, particularly in the Prokopi area, where the epicenters of the earthquakes were located.
Meanwhile, the president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), Efthymios Lekkas, told OPEN TV:
“We have been experiencing seismic activity in the Prokopi area of Evia since 12:58 p.m. This is a region with high seismicity and has experienced similar tremors in the past. What is notable is that there were two strong earthquakes followed by several smaller ones. The quake was felt in Attica, Skiathos, Karditsa, and other areas.”
He explained that earthquakes in the region often occur in clusters over several hours or days, but their magnitudes generally remain at similar levels rather than escalating into major events.
“We have recorded minor damage in Evia, mainly falling objects and small structural issues. I do not believe there is any reason for concern. Residents should avoid geologically unstable areas and should not remain in old or damaged houses. Beyond that, there is no indication that anything extraordinary is occurring.”
At the same time, according to government sources, emergency teams operating in the area have so far reported mainly minor cracks in homes and limited landslides along sections of the road network. Continuous communication is underway with the local mayor and with the General Secretariat for Natural Disaster Recovery of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
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