A strong earthquake that rocked the Greek capital Athens was also felt in Malta, timesofmalta.com has learnt.
The tremor, recorded by the seismic station at Ghar Dalam at around 6.15 a.m., was felt in various parts of the island, including but not limited to, Valletta, Floriana, Ta' Xbiex, Sliema, Iklin, Balzan, Rabat (Malta), San Gwann and Paola. No damages were reported.
People calling at our offices this morning (on [+356] 2559 4131) said they felt the ground shaking. Some said that the tremor moved their beds. Another caller said he saw the door to his room shaking, whereas another woman reported a chandelier swinging.
Peter Cordina, director of the Civil Protection Department said that several people called their headquarters to enquire about the tremor but no damage had been reported. The department is in contact with the Italian Civil Protection authorities for further information and assistance if required.
Comments were also received from Greek residents. A reader, Marianna Papadopoulou, told Sunday Times correspondent Tanja Cilia, “I also felt it and I live far away from the epicentre as well. They said, that the main epicentre was very deep, although in the areas of Peloponese the sound was awful! In Gytheio (close to the epicentre) it was like listening a landing of an airplane and in Corinthus it sounded like a huge truck marching just out of the door. It had three parts, the last one was the most ... joyful!! Full of jumping!!! No material damages, neither humans lost. Quite peaceful this time.”
The earthquake measured 6.5 on the Richter scale with its epicentre located 150 km (90 miles) south, southwest of Athens near the town of Leonidio on the Peloponnesian peninsula.
"There was panic and small items fell in households but there was no serious damage," the deputy mayor of Leonidio, Ilias Manos, said. "It was a very strong earthquake but we've communicated with the surrounding villages and until this moment there is no problem," he told Greek television.
The quake woke up residents in the capital Athens and prompted people in several other cities to call emergency services. "It shook me out of bed," Reuters correspondent Karolos Grohmann said.
"The house was shaking badly," a woman from the northern Athens suburb of Maroussi told a Greek radio station.
Greek media said they had received calls from people who felt the quake in several Greek cities, mainly in the south.