Is it certain to travel to Crete? Course to Earthquake leads to a warning for the Greek island of Tsunami

A earthquake with a size of 5.9 off the east coast of Crete, Greece’s largest island, in the early morning hours of Wednesday morning, which was felt to Egypt.

The quake met near the islands of Kasos and Karpathos, smaller islands near Kretes east coast in the Mediterranean, with a depth of 35 km (22 miles), said the Geodynamic Institute of Athens.

No damage or injuries were reported, but the Greek authorities have published a tsunami warning in the region.

Crete is a popular holiday destination due to its flowerless beaches, the flowering resort scene, its rich history and the unique natural landscapes, but the island is also one of the earthquakes the most tending in Europe.

Here is what we know about earthquakes so far.

Is it certain to travel to Crete, Greece?

The Greece’s Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said on X: “An earthquake from 5.9 to 48 km SE.

The British office in foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Great Britain currently has no travel advice on Crete or Greece as a whole, which means that it should be safe to travel to the country and its islands.

Those who plan a trip to the east coast of Crete, Karos or Karpathos can search for updates from the Greek authorities.

Since the earthquake, no injuries or serious damage to property have been reported, but the authorities ask people to remain vigilant and to move away from the coastal area.

Where was the earthquake?

The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) has shown that the epicenter of the earthquake was located near the Greek islands of Kasos and Karpathos in the Aegean.

The islands sit off the east coast of Crete and southwest of Rhodes. For public holidays outside the busy holiday resorts, Kasos is known as the destination for the Mreißstand, while Karpathos are scattered many traditional villages about its mountainous landscape.

What does a tsunami warning mean?

The Greece’s Ministry of Climate Crisis and civil protection provides advice on what to do when an earthquake or a tsunami beats.

The Ministry says that not all earthquakes cause a tsunami; However, if you feel an earthquake, it is best to stay vigilant.

His guidance includes observation whether there is a significant increase or waste of water level, since this phenomenon is a physical warning for an oncoming tsunami.

It is said that a relatively small tsunami on parts of the coast could be converted into an extremely dangerous distance of several kilometers.

“Stay away from the areas of Seaside until the responsible authorities inform you that the danger is over,” says the Ministry. “A tsunami is not a single wave, but a number of waves with different arrival times on the coast.”

“Don’t take the shore to see how a tsunami get. If you see the tsunami, it will probably be too late to avoid it.”

Are other Greek islands at risk?

The Greek authorities stated that the risk of a possible tsunami after the earthquake, which was about 48 km southeast of Kasos.

None of the islands have reported injuries or serious damage to property from Wednesday morning.

In the past it was not unknown that earthquakes influence the country, which is susceptible to seismic activities. Expert activities shaked the popular tourist island of Santorini for weeks at the beginning of this year.

The island of Crete is known as one of the most common zones in Europe for earthquakes. In October 2021, a quake of 6.3 size shook the island just a few weeks after a fatal tremor and injured dozens.

Greece sits on the border between African and Eurasian tectonic plates, so it is common for seismic activity to be felt there.

Greece has thousands of islands, of which around 227 are inhabited, the largest of the population and area of ​​Crete. The islands are traditionally grouped in various clusters such as the Argo-Saronic Islands, the Cyclades, the Northern Rails, the Dodeans, the Sporades and the Ionian Islands.

In addition to Rhodes and Kos, Casos and Karpathos are often classified as Dodekan, while Creta is usually not classified in a group, but rather delimits the area of ​​the island in the south.

Are flights canceled?

Kasos Island Airport, which carries out very few flights on one day with domestic Olympic air flights to other islands, had no problems with the flight route. Similarly, the Karpathos Island Airport was not affected, showing data from Flighttradar.

Heraklion International Airport in Crete also has no cancellations or disorders of its airplan, while Rhodes International Airport has minor delays, but overall the earthquake seems to have no effect on the flight.

Can I cancel my vacation?

Since the Federal Foreign Office has not warned against non -essential trips to Greece, there are no special circumstances to cancel a trip for a complete reimbursement.

The conditions for canceling your trip depend on your vacation provider. So it is best to contact you if you are looking for moving.

Companies are not obliged to reimburse bookings if they want to cancel and they cannot claim travel insurance for security reasons, unless the advising on the foreign office changes.

With regard to travel insurance, some guidelines include a natural disaster cover for an event that prevents them from reaching their holiday destination. Check your insurance policy and speak to your insurer to see where you are.

You can find more travel news and advice on Simon Calder’s podcast