6.1 magnitude earthquake reported near Kasos, Greece; tsunami warning issued

Greece's emergency services have urged people to move inland following an offshore earthquake near the island of Kasos.

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake was reported in the region early Wednesday local time, according to the United States Geological Survey.

"Move away from the coast immediately," wrote the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection posted on the 112 Greece X account, noting the risk of a possible tsunami.

The tiny island of Kasos, which has a population of around 1,000, lies in the Aegean Sea between Crete and Rhodes.

According to the German Research Centre for Geoscience (GFZ), the earthquake occurred at a depth of 83 kilometers. 

Reports on the earthquake's strength vary: GFZ measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.3, which is stronger than the figure released by U.S. and Greek authorities.

The tremors were felt across a wide region, reaching as far as Israel and southwestern Turkey. 

In Egypt, residents also experienced the shaking, according to reports. The country's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics reported a slightly higher magnitude of 6.4 but confirmed there were no injuries or damage to property.

Greece sits on several fault lines and experiences earthquakes from time to time.

Between January 26 and February 13, the seismology lab at the University of Athens recorded over 18,400 mostly low-magnitude quakes in the waters around the Cyclades archipelago, which includes the popular tourist destination of Santorini.

The Canadian government's travel advice page for Greece was updated early Wednesday. It now includes a tsunami warning for the region. 

"If you are in the affected region, move away from the coast immediately," reads Ottawa's travel alert. "Follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor local news for information on the tsunami's progress."

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