Greece's Karpathos rattled by overnight earthquake as seismic activity rises globally

A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Greece during the night of May 14, shaking the region but causing no immediate threat to lives or property.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) indicated that the quake's epicentre was located 66 kilometres south of Karpathos Island, at a relatively shallow depth of 14 kilometres, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Karpathos, home to around 2,200 residents, felt the tremors, but authorities confirmed that no tsunami alert was issued and no evacuation was deemed necessary. The seismic jolt rattled nerves but left the island calm and intact.

This event came just a day after a stronger 7.5-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Chile, triggering a tsunami warning and prompting the evacuation of coastal areas in one affected region. Authorities acted swiftly to clear beach zones as a precaution.

Meanwhile, in Türkiye, officials continue to assess the aftermath of an earlier earthquake. Urban Planning and Environment Minister Murat Kurum provided an update on the April 23 Istanbul quake, revealing that out of 36,425 buildings surveyed, 4,295 had sustained minor damage.

Adding to the recent wave of global seismic activity, China also recorded a 5.6-magnitude earthquake, underscoring a week marked by tremors across several continents. Another tremor was indicated yesterday, May 13, in Naples.

By Tamilla Hasanova