Earthquake off Crete: New warnings and travel trends in the Mediterranean

Earthquake off Crete: New warnings and travel trends in the Mediterranean

On May 22, 2025, at 5:19 a.m., the island of Crete, Greece, was struck by a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1. This quake was the second in just a week, after an earthquake of the same magnitude occurred on May 14, 2025. The epicenter of the first quake was between the Greek islands of Kasos and Karpathos. Both earthquakes are tectonic in nature and are not directly related to each other or to the earthquakes near Santorini, reports Merkur.

In total, there were around 86 earthquakes in the region in the last 24 hours, including another strong quake with a magnitude of 6.1 that was recorded 81 km northeast of Heraklion. According to VolcanoDiscovery's logs, a total of 791 quakes have been recorded in the past 90 days, highlighting the region's seismic activity.

Seismic activity and history

Historically, tectonic earthquakes are not uncommon in the Mediterranean region, particularly off Crete. A significant earthquake with a magnitude above 7 occurred there in 1856. The Hellenic Subduction Zone, where the African plate slides about ten millimeters below the Aegean plate annually, is one of the main causes of this seismic activity. Last year, around 20 earthquakes with a magnitude of five or higher were felt.

Analysis of seismic data shows that the average number of earthquakes in Crete over the last 25 years is 0.03 per year for magnitude 7 or higher and 0.26 for magnitude 6 or higher. These numbers make it clear that stronger earthquakes are relatively rare and the likelihood of an earthquake swarm is currently considered low.

Travel risks and security measures

Despite the recent earthquakes, the Greek Civil Defense points out that traveling to Greece carries a general risk of earthquakes, but this risk is considered to be consistently low. The civil protection authorities in Greece are well positioned to respond to such natural events. After yesterday's earthquake, tsunami warnings were sent via SMS, but a tsunami did not occur.

Analyzes of the seismic energy released during recent quakes put it at about 8.9 x 10^13 joules, which is roughly equivalent to the energy released by 1.3 atomic bombs. Although aftershocks are likely, they are hardly noticeable to most people. It is further noted that stress transfers between different zones could trigger further earthquakes, but the likelihood of another strong earthquake is considered to be low.