British tourists Barry and Ashleigh, from Kent, said they had been holidaying on the Greek island of Crete when they were told to race for the hills following a tsunami alert
British tourists have revealed the terrifying moment they received a tsunami alert as an earthquake rattled the island of Crete, sparking chaos at 2am with many clambering onto the hotel roof.
Barry and Ashleigh, from Kent, had been holidaying on the Greek island when they received an automated tsunami alert to their phones after 2am. The couple, staying near Stalis, told the Mirror hotel staff encouraged them and others to head for hills. “We went to reception of our hotel and there were many people there including panicked hotel staff who all advised to head up the hills,” they said.
“We all left together, with hotel staff and German, Swedish, Dutch and Greek people and waited. We all are looking down on the town beneath and checking our phones. We are waiting for the all clear.”
READ MORE: Greece earthquake LIVE: Crete hotel ‘shook for 5 mins’ as tourists run for hills
Images from Crete show tourists piling onto a hotel roof following the alert. Groups of tourists could be seen huddled together as they awaited further information about the tremor.
The powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit at about 1.51am local time this morning, about 14 miles southeast of Fry, Greece, according to the US Geological Survey. Authorities advised residents and tourists in the area to keep away from the coastline and to move to higher ground as a precautionary measure.
“A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos. Risk of possible Tsunami in your area,” Greek officials said on X/Twitter this morning. “Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.”
Are you in Crete? Have you been affected by the earthquake? Contact [email protected]
The quake’s epicentre was located off the coast of Crete, although tremors were reported to have been felt on several nearby islands. Emergency services remain on high alert with aftershocks being possible.
No serious injuries or major property damage have been reported in the aftermath of the earthquake. Authorities have told people to remain vigilant as officials continue to monitor the situation.
A travel advisory has not been issued for holidaymakers, which means it should still be safe for people to stay and travel to Greece. People heading to Crete and the surrounding areas may want to check for updates by local officials.
Greek islands are among the most earthquake-prone regions in Europe with seismic activity not being uncommon. Back in October 2021, a 6.3 magnitude quake rattled Crete just weeks after another deadly tremor killed one person and injured a dozen more.
Another quake, which happened in September 2021, devastated villages near Heraklion, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving scores of families displaced. Schools and public buildings were also left with visible cracks, and residents were forced to sleep outdoors amid fears of further aftershocks.
Greece sits at the meeting point of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it a hotspot for seismic activity. While locals are not strangers to the occasional rumble, the fear of a major tremor remains present.