A powerful 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck south of the Greek island of Crete early this morning around 6:30 AM local time. The epicenter was in the sea, approximately seven kilometers southwest of the coastal town of Goudoura, at a depth of five kilometers.

The deputy prefect of the region, Yanis Androulakis, stated the earthquake was felt in the eastern parts of the island, with civil protection units on alert. The tremor was also felt on neighboring islands Kasos and Karpathos.

Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos reported that aftershocks have followed, with the strongest reaching magnitude 3.8. Seismic activity is occurring at considerable distance from Crete, which reduces the risk even if stronger quakes occur. In May 2020, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake in the same area caused minor damage and small tsunamis near Ierapetra and Kasos.

No damage reported so far. But every earthquake in the Mediterranean is a reminder: the region is seismically active, and preparedness is always a question of "if" or "when."