A British couple on their honeymoon in Crete have recalled the terrifying moment they were awoken at around 2am by their bed shaking as an earthquake hit the Greece region
A British couple who jetted off on their honeymoon to Crete have revealed the alarming message they received from TUI after being woken in the night as an earthquake rattled the Greek island.
Kirby Weegram, 29, and her husband, Adrian Weegram, 36, from Hartlepool, arrived in Analipsi on Tuesday night, hours before the strong 6.0 earthquake struck the coast at around 1:51 am. The newlyweds were woken around 2am as their bed was shaken violently by the seismic tremors.
In the morning, the received a message from holiday operator TUI, who warned them to “follow any instructions provided by local authorities.”
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It read: “Dear guests, you may have received an automated alert from the Greek government regarding recent seismic activity in Crete.
“These alerts are sent to all mobile devices within a certain radius as a precautionary measure – prioritising safety above all. At this time, we advise you to follow any instructions provided by local authorities.
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“Should any specific action be required on your part, rest assured that we will contact you directly with further guidance. Your safety and well-being are our top priority. Kind regards, your TUI team.”
However, Kirby told The Mirror: “Warnings say to keep away from the coast and to go up high, but our hotel is on the beach and we are on the ground floor!
“It is worrying to think that something could happen whilst on our honeymoon when we have children at home, but we are seeing planes flying overhead so assume they would have stopped flights if there was a real risk.”
She added: “Most of the English in the hotel seem quite relaxed and unfazed. We have not been told anything by the hotel or authorities. Only the text from TUI. Aside from that we have had no advice on how to deal with it, should a tsunami occur.”
Authorities urged residents and tourists to stay away from the coastline and move to higher ground as a precautionary measure amid a tsunami warning.
“A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos. Risk of possible Tsunami in your area,” said the Ministry. “Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.” The magnitude has since been updated to 6.0. The quake’s epicentre was located off the coast of Crete, but tremors were felt as far away as Israel, Syria and Egypt.
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