Seven minor earthquakes hits Cyprus (south) today

A sequence of seven earthquakes off the Cyprus coast on Saturday morning, with three of them felt by residents in Limassol and Paphos.

A series of earthquakes began at 9:49. Those which were felt were 3.3, 3.6 and 3.7 magnitude on the Richter scale.

In total, there were more than seven small earthquakes according to the geological survey, though only three were felt.

According to data from the Kandilli Observatory, a 2.5 magnitude earthquake* occurred in South Cyprus at 09:49 today, followed by a 3.0 magnitude tremor at 09:52.

The earthquakes took place at depths of approximately 13.02 and 6.7 kilometres, respectively.

Following the earthquakes in the south, a 3.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Mediterranean just four minutes later.

This earthquake occurred at a depth of 5.9 kilometres.

*Cyprus (south) experiences earthquakes relatively frequently, as the island lies near the boundary between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. This region is part of the Eastern Mediterranean seismic zone, which is prone to tectonic activity. Most earthquakes in Cyprus are minor and go unnoticed, but stronger ones occasionally occur and have historically caused damage.

The frequency of earthquakes varies, but clusters of small to moderate seismic activity are not uncommon. Significant earthquakes, such as the 6.8 magnitude quake near Paphos in 1996, have caused widespread concern in the past. Cyprus also experiences aftershocks from larger regional seismic events, such as those originating in nearby Greece or Turkey.

While southern Cyprus isn’t one of the world’s most active earthquake zones, residents and authorities remain aware of the seismic risks and have implemented building codes to improve resilience. [LGC News Ed.]