Map shows where Crete earthquake hit amid Greece tsunami warning

Tremors were felt strongly across the Greek islands of Crete and Rhodes (Picture: Getty)

A tsunami warning has been issued off the coast of Greece following an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale.

Powerful tremors rocked the island of Crete and were felt as far away as Cyprus,Egypt,Syria and Israel in the early hours of this morning.

They were felt strongly across the islands of Crete and Rhodes,prompting authorities to issue a temporary tsunami warning.

An alert from Greek emergency services was issues at 1.36am,stating: ‘A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos.

‘Risk of possible Tsunami in your area. Immediately move away from the coast. Follow the instructions of the Local Authorities.’

The earthquake was at a depth of 22 miles and was registered near the island of Karpathos in the Mediterranean Sea,the Athens Geodynamic Institute said.

A map showing where the earthquake was detected (Picture: Metro)

No serious property damage has been reported,but people have been toldto stay on alert.

The earthquake also comes at the beginning of the summer party season in Greece during which more than eight million tourists travel to Crete and Rhodes.

Seismologist Efthymis Lekkas on Wednesday downplayed the significance of the tremors,stressing this was an isolated incident.

He told broadcaster ERT: ‘There is neither a notable foreshock sequence nor a significant series of aftershocks – these types of quakes typically occur as single events.’

Asked about a possible link to recent seismic activity on the island of Santorini or the most recent earthquake in Turkey,Lekkas dismissed any connection.

He said: ‘There is absolutely no link to the seismic events in Santorini – the geotectonic context is entirely different – and there is no connection whatsoever to the earthquake in Turkey.’

Is it safe to travel to Crete?

At this point,there are no disruptions or cancellations to inbound flights to Crete.

However,travellers heading to the island should check with their airlines before departure for any updates.

Brits already in Crete,Kasos and Karpathos have been advised to move to higher ground and stay away from the coast until tsunami warnings have been lifted.

Our full roundup of the sitation and advice for travellers tells how Heraklion Airport and Chania Airport are operating with the majority of flights on schedule.

What to do if you’re caught in an earthquake abroad

In the event of an earthquake,The Foreign,Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says you should drop to the floor,cover your head,and hold on to a fixed object.

Stay where you are if you’re inside a building,but don’t shelter under door frames. As detailed above,head to higher ground if you’re by the coast.

The FCDO recommends following local evacuation or sheltering advice,as aftershocks can be common. For British nationals affected,the FCDO will set up a specific crisis response. This can include a dedicated hotline or online registration where you can apply for assistance.