- A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
- Located in the sea, 21 km south-southwest of Goudouras, Lasithi.
- Focal Depth: Recorded at a shallow 6.2 km.
- Aftershocks: A secondary 3.2 magnitude tremor followed shortly after at the same location.
- Professor Efthymis Lekkas (OASP) confirms the fault is underwater and unrelated to land-based faults, posing no significant threat.
“Both earthquakes occurred in an undersea area. Based on the locations of the epicenters of both earthquakes, it is clear that the fault runs northeast-southwest, indicating it is not connected to land-based faults, which is a positive sign. “This means that seismic activity will be limited to this area south of Crete,” Professor Lekkas told enikos.gr.
A moderate earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale was recorded at 10:04 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, in a maritime area south of Goudouras. The seismic event had a focal depth of 6.2 kilometers and was felt mainly across eastern Crete.
Although noticeable, the quake caused no reported damage or injuries.
A second, smaller tremor measuring 3.2 followed, originating from the same epicentral area. The sequence is considered typical for the region.
According to Efthymios Lekkas, professor of Geology and Natural Disasters and president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, both earthquakes occurred offshore, which is reassuring.
He noted that the epicenter alignment indicates a fault line running northeast–southwest. Importantly, this fault does not appear to be connected to land-based fault systems.
This suggests that seismic activity is likely to remain confined to the offshore area south of Crete.
In practical terms, the events are not considered unusual. They fall within the normal pattern of seismic activity in the region and, at this stage, do not raise concern.
