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An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck the Aegean Sea at 6:19 a.m. local time on Thursday, causing tremors across western Türkiye, including Izmir, Aydin, Mugla, and Antalya. Although the quake jolted many residents awake and led some to flee their homes in fear, no casualties or significant damage were reported on the Turkish mainland.
According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the earthquake's epicenter was located 79 kilometers (49.09 miles) northeast of Crete Island, approximately 166 kilometers off the coast of Mugla’s Datca district. The quake occurred at a depth of 63.7 kilometers. Aftershocks followed, the largest registering a magnitude of 3.5.
Greek state broadcaster ERT reported partial damage in a neoclassical building in the Heraklion (Kandiye) district on Crete. Plaster fell from the walls of two primary schools, prompting the evacuation of students as a precaution. A landslide also blocked the Tercha-Mirtos highway, causing traffic disruption.
There were slight discrepancies in the magnitude reports, with the Kandilli Observatory measuring it at 6.1 and the Athens Geodynamic Institute at 6.2.
Mugla’s provincial governor confirmed there were no adverse effects reported within the region following the tremor.
'Not a high-impact earthquake,' experts assure
Professor Naci Gorur noted that the quake occurred along the Hellenic-Cyprus Arc, where the African Plate subducts beneath the Anatolian Plate:
“The earthquake happened north of Crete, south of Santorini. With a focal depth of 73 kilometers, its impact was naturally limited. Past is past—get well soon.”
Professor Sener Usumezsoy explained that the quake occurred in a tectonic trough north of Crete, triggered by regional stress: “These types of earthquakes can alarm residents in touristic areas such as Marmaris, Bodrum, and Kusadasi, but their distant origin reduces the potential for local damage.”
Professor Tuncay Taymaz dismissed the quake as insignificant in terms of seismic risk:
“The tremor lasted just 2 to 2.5 seconds and was around 150–180 kilometers away. Its deep undersea origin means the energy couldn’t reach the surface, making a tsunami unlikely. If it had occurred near the Fethiye-Burdur fault zone, it would have required closer scrutiny.”
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