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British tourists in Rhodes have described ‘the whole airport shaking’ after a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Greek island on Wednesday night.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicentre was located in the Aegean Sea, approximately 67km (41 miles) southwest of Rhodes. The island, a popular holiday destination for many Brits, experienced the tremor, although it did not cause any severe structural damage.
Holidaymakers across Rhodes took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their experiences of the earthquake. One user reported feeling ‘the whole airport shaking,’ which caused concern among fellow travellers.
“Yeah, like the whole airport shook so quick outta nowhere, the walls and floor shaking. It felt weird and crazy,” the user wrote.
Another holidaymaker posted: “Just felt it in Rhodes in our hotel room.”
A third person, staying near Faliraki, joked: “Table was shaking on our hotel balcony. Thought I’d had a few too many.”
Others also reported feeling the quake in locations such as Gennadi, Lardos, Archangelos, and the island’s capital, Rhodes. Some comments noted that the tremor was felt as far south as Lindos.
A spokesperson for the EMSC said: “Our monitoring service identified a second report from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) which listed the quake at magnitude 4.9 as well. Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicentre.”
Greek media reported that the tremor was also felt in Turkey. The EMSC added that the nearby towns of Gennadi, Lardos, Archangelos, and Rhodes might have experienced weak shaking.
Earthquakes are relatively common on Rhodes. In January 2023, a powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck the island, with tremors felt as far away as Egypt and Lebanon.
The largest recorded earthquake in Greek history occurred on Amorgos, in the Cyclades archipelago, in 1956. Measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, it destroyed multiple buildings and caused a tsunami, resulting in 53 deaths and 100 injuries.
Despite the minor nature of this recent quake, it has served as a reminder of the seismic activity that can affect the region. Authorities continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety of both residents and tourists.
