Magnitude 6.4 quake reported in Greece

5/24/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

THESSALONIKI, Greece — An earthquake beneath the sea shook northern Greece today, and at least one person suffered a minor injury when part of a ceiling fell at an airport, police said.

The Institute of Geophysics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki said the temblor had a magnitude of 6.3; the U.S. Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude of 6.4, later revised to 6.9.

The epicenter was southwest of the island of Samothraki and close to the Turkish island of Gokceada and the Greek island of Lemnos, 130 miles east of Thessaloniki and 296 kilometers (185 miles) northeast of the capital Athens.

The USGS reported a depth of 6 miles but the Athens Geodynamics Institute has reported 17 miles.

The temblor was widely felt, including in Thessaloniki. Several strong aftershocks, of yet undetermined magnitude, have taken place.

A duty officer at the Lemnos police precinct said a female British tourist was slightly injured at the airport when part of the ceiling fell, but was treated at the scene and did not require hospitalization. He said no other damage or injuries had been reported.