Crete earthquake – live: One person killed and hotels evacuated as powerful earthquake hits Greek island

One person is dead and at least 20 have been injured in a strong earthquake that struck the Greek island of Crete on Monday morning. Greece’s climate crisis and civil protection ministry confirmed the death of a man who had been completing church renovations in the town of Arkalochori, and was crushed when the dome caved in.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported that a 6.0 magnitude quake struck at 9.17 am with an epicentre 16 miles south south east of the city of Heraklion and a depth of 6.2 miles. At least nine aftershocks have also struck the area, with the strongest one registering a magnitude of 4.6.

Hotels and schools near the epicentre have been evacuated as local media reported that a number of older buildings had suffered structural damage.

Sarah Williams-Long, a doctor at King’s Hospital in London who had been staying at the Creta Maris beach resort with her partner and three-year-old son when the earthquake struck, told The Independent that she had been evacuated in case of a second earthquake.

She said: “It was terrifying. Initially there was just a very slight rumble, like waiting for a train underground, but it quickly increased causing the building to shake,” adding that many people took shelter under tables before the building was evacuated.

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Crete earthquake: Hotels evacuated as ‘terrifying’ 6.0-magnitude tremor shakes buildings on Greek island

Key Points

• Earthquake strikes Crete

• Man killed in church collapse

Senior MEP pledges support for Greece after earthquake

17:20 , Conrad Duncan

A senior MEP has pledged support for Greece following this morning’s earthquake that has caused damage on the island of Crete.

Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, sent his condolences to the country on Monday afternoon.

“Sending our solidarity to the people of Crete who are dealing with the consequences of a powerful earthquake today,” Mr Weber said.

“Our condolences to the family of the victim and we wish the injured a quick recovery. The EPP [European People's Party] Group stands ready to support Greece in any way we can.”

16:58 , Conrad Duncan

AP Europe has more footage below of the damage in Crete today:

16:43 , Conrad Duncan

You can find images of the damage at Metamorfosi Sotiros church in the Voni village on Crete following this morning’s earthquake below:

16:22 , Conrad Duncan

At least 28 earthquakes have been felt in Crete in the last nine hours, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

ICYMI: ‘Terrifying’ 6.0-magnitude tremor in Crete kills one, several injured

16:01 , Conrad Duncan

A “terrifying” 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete this morning, killing one person and injuring several others, with at least nine aftershocks also striking the area.

Local authorities reported that a man was crushed when a church dome in the town of Arkalochori collapsed - the building was being renovated when the quake struck.

Our reporter, Celine Wadhera, has the full story below:

Crete earthquake: ‘Terrifying’ 6.0-magnitude tremor kills one, several injured

No reports of people missing or trapped so far, government official says

15:45 , Conrad Duncan

There have been no reports so far of people missing or trapped under rubble in Crete, government spokesperson Giannis Oikonomou has said.

Mr Oikonomou’s comments came as climate crisis and civil protection minister Christos Stylianides, who has travelled to Crete, said that a state of emergency had been declared in the area.

Local media says hundreds of homes have been damaged, including more than half the houses in Arkalochori.

Crete earthquake: How will it affect my holiday?

15:34 , Celine Wadhera

If you had been planning a beach getaway to Crete and were wondering how the earthquake might affect your plans, the news is mostly good.

Domestic and international flights into and out of Heraklion airport were unaffected by the quake, and the region’s hoteliers association has said that there was no serious damage to any hotels in the area, which includes several popular holiday resorts.

My colleague Lucy Thackray reports.

Will the Crete earthquake affect my holiday?

A stronger quake ‘unlikely’ to hit Crete, says geophysics professor

15:15 , Celine Wadhera

Constantinos Papazacohos, a leading professor of geophysics in Athens said that it was “unlikely” that a stronger quake would hit Crete, following Monday morning’s 6.0-magnitude tremor.

“It is unlikely that we will see a stronger quake,” he told the Skai television network.

“But because this region is riddled with old structures and buildings, it is best for people to stay clear of them as they can come falling down with minor but extensive jolts expected in the next week,” he added.

Greece’s prime minister sends condolences to family of man who died in earthquake

14:56 , Celine Wadhera

Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to express his condolences to the man who lost died during the earthquake, and to wish the injured a speedy recovery.

He said: “The entire state mechanism is on alert to assist in dealing with the consequences of the earthquake in Crete.

“I want to express my sincere condolences to the family of our fellow citizen who lost his life and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”

Update: 20 people injured in earthquake

14:37 , Celine Wadhera

For the first time, hospital officials commented on the injuries that had been sustained during and after the 6.0-magnitude earthquake on Monday morning.

They said that 20 people had been treated for injuries, ten of whom also received first aid.

The climate and crisis civil protection minister, Christos Stylianidis, added that, according to information he had received from the hospitals, none of the injured had sustained serious head wounds.

In a statement, Mr Stylianidis said: “As we receive information from the hospitals we will inform you with written announcements, if necessary.”

“According to the first information I have, it seems that they have not suffered craniocerebral injuries.”

He added that he was planning to visit those who had been injured in the earthquake, and wished them a speedy recovery.

Footage from supermarket during earthquake

14:18 , Celine Wadhera

A supermarket’s surveillance camera captured the earthquake on video.

In the footage, An employee is visible, stocking shelves before the quake begins. The ground then begins to shake and a single item falls from a shelf. The employee then runs out of the frame, possibly towards an exit, and products continue to fall to the ground from the shelves.

Update: hotel rooms will be made available, alongside 2,500 tents

13:59 , Celine Wadhera

Earlier today, Christos Stylianides, the climate crisis and civil protection minister, told a media briefing that hotel rooms could potentially be provided for those who were unable to stay in their houses overnight, due to structural damage caused by the quake.

A civil protection official has since confirmed that hotel rooms will be made available for those requiring an overnight stay outside of their homes.

The number of tents available has also been increased, from the 300 reported by local officials earlier, to 2,500.

Fault ruptured by Crete quake previously unmapped

13:40 , Celine Wadhera

According to a seismological map, the fault that ruptured and caused today’s earthquake was previously unmapped.

Dr Stephen Hicks, a seismologist from Imperial College London shared a map (created by Caputo et al.) on Twitter and noted that the fault that caused today’s quake lies between two prominent zones, the Kastell and E. Psiloritis.

He added in a subsequent tweet that Monday’s earthquake was the largest to have struck on-land Crete since a magnitude-6.1 quake struck the island in 1959.

All relevant ministries mobilised after earthquake

13:21 , Celine Wadhera

All relevant ministries have been mobilised after an earthquake struck the island of Crete this morning, a government spokesperson has said.

Yannis Economou told a press briefing: “From the first moment, there was a mobilisation of all the ministries involved and communication with local authorities in Crete.

“Unfortunately, we were informed about the loss of a fellow citizen. It seems that so far we do not have any citizens trapped.

“Those who were trapped and rescued have been taken to hospital,” he said, adding that the health authorities were dealing with any injuries.

“Units of the Infrastructure Ministry have already started the inspections and if necessary, additional forces will depart for Crete. The whole state mechanism is on alert.

“All relevant ministries will act within their remit to assist local authorities and help repair the damage.”

Mr Economou added that the government would continue to monitor all seismic activity.

Hundreds of homes damaged

13:02 , Celine Wadhera

Local media reported that hundreds of homes have been damaged on the island of Crete, particularly in the village of Arkalochori. The village is close to the epicentre of where the 6.0-magnitude quake struck, and one man from the area has already been pronounced dead, following a church collapse earlier today.

At a media briefing, Christos Stylianides, the climate crisis and civil protection minister, said that measures would be taken for those who couldn’t spend the night in their own homes, and said that rooms in hotels could potentially be provided.

Local officials added that they had capacity to temporarily house around 300 people in tents.

Seismologist: Earthquake was like a ‘thunderbolt’

12:43 , Celine Wadhera

Seismologist Efthimios Lekkas, who head’s Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation, described this morning’s earthquake as a “thunderbolt” with strong aftershocks.

At a media briefing in Crete, he said that inspections of critical buildings, including schools and hospitals had already begun.

“We are urging people who live in damaged or older buildings to remain outdoors,” he said. “We are talking about structures built before 1970. Structures built after 1985 are built to a higher standard that can withstand the effect of an earthquake.”

He added: “One aftershock can cause a collapse”.

Stronger aftershock reported

12:24 , Celine Wadhera

Just after 2pm in Crete, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported a 4.7-magnitude aftershock struck 13 miles south east of Heraklion.

This is the strongest aftershock reported since this morning’s 6.0-magnitude quake on the island, and marks the 21st tremor recorded on the island today.

A resident in Limani Chersonisou, Crete, told the EMSC that the tremors were “getting stronger again” while another eyewitness said that this aftershock “felt pretty long”.

A resident from Gazi described the tremor as “first a rugging motion and then swaying motion,” adding that it lasted for about a minute.

European Mediterranean Seismological Centre reports 20 quakes in Crete in the last five hours

12:14 , Celine Wadhera

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre has reported 20 tremors in Crete over the last five hours, including the 6.0-magnitude earthquake at 9.17am that caused structural damage across the island and led to one death and at least nine injuries.

Of the aftershocks from the major quake, none have reached a magnitude higher than 4.6 the EMSC reported.

Images of the aftermath

11:55 , Celine Wadhera

Throughout the morning (and early afternoon in Greece) images of the aftermath of the earthquake in Crete have been released. Below are a few images of the destruction.

Minister for climate change and civil protection to assist with assessment and coordination in Crete

11:40 , Celine Wadhera

The Greek minister for climate change and civil protection will go to Crete to assist with assessment and coordination activities in the aftermath of this morning’s 6.0-magnitude earthquake.

Christos Stylianides, the minister for climate change and civil protection announced on Twitter that he would be going to Crete to help with the “assessment of the situation and coordination of the actions of all involved bodies”.

He added that deputy minister Evangelos Tournas would be joining him, alongside Vassilis Papageorgiou, the general secretary of civil protection, and Foivos Theodorou, the general coordination director.

Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to send 20 engineers to assist in Crete

11:25 , Celine Wadhera

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport announced that had sent 20 engineers to Crete to assist in the “planning of actions” following the strong earthquake this morning.

In a statement, the Ministry said that Costas Karmanlis, minister of infrastructure and transport, and George Karagiannis, the deputy minister, would also be in Crete to assist with developing a plan to “deal with the consequences of the earthquake”.

The statement said that building and infrastructure inspections would start immediately in order to assess damage.

Meanwhile, the Ministry would be working with the municipality of Minos – Pedida to create a coordination centre to better inform and serve citizens who had been affected by the earthquake.

Greek firefighters respond to earthquake on Crete

11:10 , Celine Wadhera

In a video, Greek firefighters and first responders can be seen walking past buildings that have been damaged in the earthquake. One building has been reduced to rubble, while another is seen with dramatic structural damage. Heavy equipment can be heard in the background.

Heraklion schools evacuated

10:55 , Celine Wadhera

Following a 6.0-magnitude earthquake earlier this morning, and ensuing aftershocks across the island of Crete, schools in the city of Heraklion have been evacuated.

Heraklion mayor Vassilis Lambrinos told Antenna television: “The earthquake was strong and long in duration.

“We have requested that schools are evacuated. The children are out in the playgrounds.”

Fire Brigade to bring disaster response units, sniffer dogs to assist in Crete

10:40 , Celine Wadhera

Greece’s Fire Brigade released a statement announcing that they would be flying in 30 firefighters from their disaster response units, as well as specialised equipment to assist in operations responding to the earthquake on Crete.

The statement said that sniffer dogs would be brought in to assist with search efforts.

The organisation added that patrols were being carried out across the wider area where the earthquake occurred, and said that all disaster units and fire department services on Crete had been placed on general alert.

The statement also urged all citizens to use caution and heed the instructions of all local authorities.

‘It was terrifying’: Holidaymakers evacuated from Crete hotel

10:25 , Celine Wadhera

Holidaymakers were evacuated from Crete hotels after the earthquake struck this morning.

Sarah Williams-Long, a doctor at King’s Hospital in London who had been vacationing at the Creta Maris Beach Resort with her partner and three-year-old son told The Independent that the experience had been harrowing.

“They’ve evacuated us from our hotel in case there’s a second earthquake - we’re waiting to be taken to a hotel away from the higher buildings,” she said.

“We’ll hopefully be allowed back in to hotel if nothing happens in the next 40 minutes. It was terrifying. Initially there was just a very slight rumble, like waiting for a train underground, but it quickly increased causing the building to shake.

“Everyone instinctively got under the tables until we were asked to leave the building. Some people were visibly shaken - one of the chefs collapsed. It was very dramatic.”

Photo shows dust released in earthquake

10:15 , Celine Wadhera

Twitter user Yorgos Sasslis shared a photo shortly after the quake shook the island of Crete this morning.

He said: “At only 10km depth, we REALLY FELT this one,” adding that everything where he was seemed to be alright, save for “a few shattered picture frames”.

One dead, nine injured in quake

10:05 , Celine Wadhera

One person was killed in the earthquake that stuck Crete this morning, authorities reported, while a number of others sustained injuries.

A man was crushed when the dome of a church in the town of Arkalochori caved in during renovation works. His death was first reported by ERT public television and then confirmed by local police.

Nine others were injured in the quake as many buildings were damaged, authorities from the ministry of civil protection said.

The quake and aftershocks prompted many people to rush outdoors, with hotels and schools in the city of Heraklion being evacuated.

Earthquake strikes Crete

09:55 , Celine Wadhera

At 9.17am a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete, The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported.

The epicentre was four miles north of the village of Thrapsano, 16 miles south southeast of the city of Heraklion, 153 miles south southeast of the Greek capital Athens.

It struck at a depth of 6.2 miles, causing dust to be released from the earth and structural damage to a number of buildings.

The EMSC has also reported at least nine aftershocks since the initial quake struck, with the strongest registering a magnitude of 4.6.

09:47 , Celine Wadhera

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the Greek island of Crete this morning. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.