Concern over the earthquakes in Evia that are also “shaking” Attica: Tselentis sees up to 5.5R, Lekkas says we’ll have 4–5R in the coming days

Seismologists are actively monitoring the seismic activity in northern Evia over the last 24 hours, with tremors being felt as far as Attica.

Efthymios Lekkas, the president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), along with seismologist Akis Tselentis and Vasilis Karastathis, director of the Geodynamic Institute, are advising caution following a magnitude 4.5 earthquake early this morning. They particularly emphasize the risk to older buildings in northern Evia.

Mr. Lekkas predicts that tremors in the range of 4–5 Richter may continue in the coming days. Tselentis mentioned that a 5.5 Richter quake from this region is “feasible.” Meanwhile, Karastathis described the lack of serious damage from past earthquakes in the area as a “positive” sign.

According to the mayor of Agia Anna–Mantoudi, over 50 homes near the quake’s epicenter have reported damage.

Lekkas

In a statement to ERT regarding today’s quake and prior tremors, Efthymios Lekkas noted, “We can expect earthquakes in the 4–5 Richter range over the coming days, as previous seismic activities in this area have shown similar patterns.”

He explained that “the seismic potential indicates that we may experience earthquakes of this magnitude over the next few days.”

However, Lekkas reassured, “there is no immediate cause for alarm; we are closely monitoring the situation.”

He clarified that the current quakes are not from the same location as the 5.1 Richter earthquake from 2023, though central and northern Evia has numerous faults, which collectively do not have the capacity for large-scale quakes.”

Tselentis

In a Facebook update, Akis Tselentis remarked on the third earthquake exceeding 4 Richter in the past 24 hours, indicating, “These tremors occurred in the same zone as the 5.1-magnitude quake from November 2023. The latest tremors arose in an area of this zone that had not previously ruptured since 2023.”

He urged residents, particularly those in older or structurally compromised homes, to be cautious and refrain from entering their houses without clearance from OASP engineers present in the area.

“The likelihood of a relatively strong earthquake around 5.5 Richter is plausible (anything stronger is quite unlikely). Such an event could significantly impact the already vulnerable building stock, potentially resulting in partial collapses of old, weakened structures,” he noted.

He also emphasized that “while a branch of the North Anatolian Fault, which caused the 6.2 Richter earthquake in Turkey, is nearby, the earthquakes in Evia are NOT linked to the recent Turkey quake.”

Karastathis

Vasilis Karastathis reported a total of 35 earthquakes in the vicinity, with this morning’s being the strongest at 4.5 Richter. He noted, “That’s why we did not refer to a primary earthquake yesterday” (noting that a 4.4 Richter quake occurred on Sunday).

“At this stage, we cannot predict how this phenomenon will evolve,” Karastathis acknowledged, although he remarked on the positive aspect that the area has not experienced destructive earthquakes in the past.

However, he mentioned that “accelerations could reach 7%, which poses a risk for older constructions. Therefore, caution is essential.”

He indicated that “these earthquakes fall within the same area that produced the November 2023 quakes. It’s a segment near Prokopi that is currently active and generating these tremors — we hope for the best.”