Tuesday’s earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude was one of the strongest quakes ever recorded in Cyprus, with the Geological Survey Department warning of possible powerful aftershocks.
The powerful earthquake tremor that struck Cyprus at 3.08 am was the second strongest quake in the island’s history.
It is the biggest earthquake to shake the island since a 6.5 on the Richter scale quake struck Paphos in October 1996, when two people died – the strongest in the previous 100 years.
Although Tuesday’s quake rattled the island, no injuries or serious structural damage was reported as the epicentre was in the sea off Cyprus, some 50 km northwest of Polis Chrysochous at a depth of 25 km.
However, experts say a series of aftershocks will carry on for several months.
In comments to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the Director of the Cyprus Geological Survey Department, Christodoulos Hadjigeorgiou, said that seismologists can’t exclude the possibility of a powerful aftershock.
Cyprus has not felt such a strong earthquake in over 25 years, but Hadjigeorgiou said that Cyprus is on a secondary Faultline, meaning quakes can happen at any time.