Tourists are being warned to take note of emergency protocols following seismic activity around the Aegean and two earthquakes in the last fortnight near Crete. A magnitude 6.1 quake, felt as far away as Athens, Turkey and Egypt, hit the island on 22 May 2025, damaging an historic port and causing authorities to issue a tsunami warning.
Vice-regional governor of Crete, responsible for Civil Protection, Georgios Tsapakos, told state broadcasters that “there are no reports of injuries or any serious damage” after preliminary checks.
Occurring at 8:49 am, 58 kilometres northeast of Elounda and Neapolis, at a depth of around 69 kilometres, the quake was felt by locals in the form of tremors and noise, Greek daily Ethnos reported.
#earthquake M 6.1 CRETE, GREECE pic.twitter.com/G3BdNQlYCW
— SSGEOS (@ssgeos) May 13, 2025
Near Heraklion, there were landslides in the aftermath of the quake. Samaria and Imbros, two gorges that attract visitors, were closed as a precautionary measure and schools and other public buildings are being inspected.
However, experts have downplayed the risks, with Rémy Bossu, Secretary-General of the European-Mediterranean Siesmological Centre, telling Euronews that “every time you go to Greece, you are going to a seismically active region” and pointing out that “The hazards are not significantly higher than they were yesterday, or in February.”
CCTV footage of 6.1 Earthquake in Heraklion, Crete, Greece pic.twitter.com/1G5rVlajrJ
— Disasters Daily (@DisastersAndI) May 22, 2025
Bossu nonetheless noted that falling objects, both inside accommodation and outside are one of the biggest causes of injuries when earthquakes occur and recommends that people protect themselves “by going below a table and avoiding open areas when possible.”
Harbour or beach areas should be avoided when a seismic event of that magnitude occurs, Bossu added, due to the risk of whirlpools and rises in sea levels. Government officials released a national directive advising tourists to “move away from the coast and reach a higher place.”
Good morning from Santorini. We had a special wake up call.
— marcusdessau (@marcusdessau) May 22, 2025
I hope that all people on Crete are fine after this earthquake.
We felt it on Santorini too. pic.twitter.com/r19c5ZsFaK
No foreign government travel advisories specific to the earthquakes have been issued, but tourists are urged to remain vigilant and follow official guidance. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) notes that “Greece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods. To be alerted to events near where you are located in Greece, register for alerts from the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service) (in English).” The FCDO goes on to give a range of instructions for users of different devices.
The lack of official advice against travel means that visitors are unlikely to be covered by refund or insurance policies should they choose to cancel trips.
