A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete on Thursday, sending residents rushing into the streets and prompting authorities to issue precautionary measures, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 68.9 kilometres, with its epicentre located approximately 58 kilometres northeast of the small town of Eloúnda. The significant depth of the quake may have reduced potential surface damage.

Alexis Kalokairinos, Mayor of the Cretan city of Heraklion, told ERTNews that people ran into the streets out of fear when the tremors began. Local authorities immediately began inspecting school buildings for structural damage as a precautionary measure, while at least one old building in the city centre reportedly sustained damage.

Multiple residents reported to Greek media that the earthquake felt unusually long in duration, though seismologists note that perceived duration is not officially recorded by monitoring agencies. A video published by local news portal Cretapost showed the island shaking violently enough to trigger car and home alarm systems.

The tremors were not confined to Crete alone. According to the Greek newspaper To Proto Thema, the quake was also strongly felt on the Peloponnese peninsula, throughout the Cyclades islands, and even as far as Cyprus.

Despite the intensity of the earthquake, Thanasis Ganas, head of research at the Geodynamic Institute of Athens, provided reassurance, stating he expected few if any aftershocks to follow.

As a standard safety protocol, the Greek disaster management authority issued a tsunami warning and sent SMS alerts to people in affected regions. However, no tsunami materialized following the seismic event.

This earthquake comes just days after northern Euboea, Greece's second-largest island, experienced a series of smaller quakes. Within a 24-hour period, several earthquakes measuring up to 4.7 magnitude affected that region, with tremors felt as far away as Athens, approximately 130 kilometres to the south. Those earlier seismic events reportedly damaged more than 50 homes.

Greece lies on several seismic fault lines, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe. The nation has experienced numerous significant earthquakes throughout its history.