GREECE has been struck by a horror 6.1-magnitude earthquake with tremors being felt across Turkey and Israel.
Fears are now growing that a major tsunami could hit the popular Brit holiday islands of Crete and Santorini.
GettyA major earthquake has hit Crete with a tsunami warning now in place across the island[/caption]
GettyCrete is seen a popular Brit holiday hotspot[/caption]
The Greek government has issued a national directive ordering people to stay alert and vigilant as they continue to assess the quake and any more aftershocks.
The national fire brigade are also now on high alert for any casualties, major damage or rescue operations which need to be carried out.
Locals have reported minor damage to roads and old buildings across Crete.
As of yet no injuries have been reported.
The first tremor hit 79km out from the city of Heraklion at 6:19am (3:19am UK time) this morning.
Five more aftershocks have been reported since, according to Creta One.
The strongest registered at 3.5-magnitude.
Director of the Geodynamic Institute of Athens, Vasilis Karastathis, has said it may take up to a few days to fully evaluate the tremors.
But he said any major damage isn’t expected to occur with the chance of a tsunami remaining relatively low.
It comes just over a week after terrified Brits were told to immediately evacuate coastal regions of Greece amid tsunami fears.
A 6.3-magnitude quake struck both Crete and Rhodes as it quickly sparked panic among holidaymakers and locals.
The quake registered a depth of 62.5 kilometres and struck as many people slept, according to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens.
Its epicentre was the tiny Aegean island of Kasos.
Brit holidaymaker Nigel Cummings, who was on holiday in Crete, said: “We didn’t just shake, the whole earth seemed to wobble like jelly.
“The text message people got warning about a tsunami frightened a lot of us.”
More than 624,000 people reside in Crete, with around a third of the island’s population living in the capital, Heraklion.
The region lies in one of the most seismically active zones in Europe, where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
It’s generally thought that any earthquake over 6.0 can cause damage if it hits a populated area.
Roughly 100 earthquakes with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9 are recorded each year worldwide, according to Michigan Tech University.
AFPLocal Greek officials place caution tapes to restrict access for tourists near the coast as a precaution after quakes were felt earlier this year[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
