Earthquake hits Greek Lefkada island, no casualties: mayor

The Greek island of Lefkada was hit by a strong earthquake Tuesday, media reported, citing the mayor of the island in the southeast of the country.

There were no immediate reports of victims or any major damage from the quake which registered at level 6 on the Richter scale, mayor Costas Drakontaeidis was quoted as saying.

But the earthquake was strongly felt on the island and many residents rushed out on the streets when it hit just before 9:30 am (0730 GMT), he said.

The quake originated in the sea, some 280 kilometres (175 miles) west of the Greek capital, according to the Athens Observatory’s geodynamic institute.

Media said the shocks were felt all along Greece’s west coast and also in the capital.

Greece accounts for more than half of all earthquakes registered in Europe, and quakes regularly hit the area around Lefkada.