M6.1 earthquake hits near the coast of Crete, Greece
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the EMSC as M6.1 hit near the coast of Crete, Greece at 07:23 UTC (08:23 LT) on November 27, 2019. The agency is reporting a depth of 55 km (34 miles). The USGS is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 71.8 km (44.6 miles).
The epicenter was located 43 km (27 miles) NW of Kissamos (population 4 236) and 73 km (45 miles) WNW of Chania (population 53 910), Crete, Greece.
241 000 people are estimated to have felt light shaking.
The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake-resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are rubble/fieldstone with lime and unknown/miscellaneous types of construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: Google, TW/SAM
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