Some British people in Greece hit a 6.1 magnitude earthquake early this morning, so we recommend turning on certain settings on their phones. This smartphone alert system keeps people up to date with extreme weather events.
This comes when it was recorded at 6:19am local time today, 79km (49 miles) from the coast of Heraklion, Crete. Residents of eastern Crete reported that they had been woken up by the earthquake, and trembling was felt not only in Türkiye and Egypt but also in other Greek islands.
The Chinese earthquake centre in Europe has issued a tsunami warning covering Greece, Turkey, Italy, France and Portugal.
And the Greek government urged everyone to “get away from the coast and reach a higher place.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises Greek tourists to register alerts from the Greek government's emergency communications service on its website. These alerts are provided in English and sent to people's mobile phones.
The Foreign, Federal and Development Agency (FCDO) stated: “Greece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods.
This is available on iPhone, Android phone, and Samsungs.
For iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications, enable the “Emergency Alerts” option on Android 11 and below, then enable the Settings > (Notifications) > (Advanced) > (Samsung) device's wireless emergency alerts > (Apps) > (Notifications) > (Notifications) > (Emergency Alerts) option.
The FCDO also warned travelers that the tsunami could cause “wide-reaching destruction.” “Tsutamis are extremely dangerous and often cause extensive destruction, including homes and infrastructure.
“If you live in lowland coastal areas or islands, you may have a higher risk of tsunamis. The event itself can be at risk during an event, such as when you run the risk of being crushed by drowsing or debris, or when you have a high risk of waterborne diseases like malaria or typhoid.”
In a statement, the European Regional Earthquake Centre said: “Depending on the distance of the earthquake from the coastline, the tsunami could become local (1,000 km).” So far, no injuries have been reported after the earthquake, and there have been no immediate reports of damage to buildings or infrastructure.
This morning's event was over a week when both Crete and Rhodes hit a 6.3 magnitude tremor. Crete is a high-risk area for seismic activity as it lies along the complex fault boundary between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Greek holiday makers were further warned that natural disaster events could make homes even more difficult. FCDO added: “If an event occurs, you need to be aware of any risks that may be related to damaged buildings and other infrastructure. Please note that events from a distance from where you are can still cause disruption, including loss of power, communications and transportation services.
“It may take some time for the airport to open again, and there may be a serious shortage of accommodation, food, water and medical facilities. If access to the area is difficult due to damage to transportation infrastructure or flooding, it may be difficult to get help from humanitarian workers.”
For more information, gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/safety-and-security.
