• Damage is seen on the bell tower of Church of the Pantanassa at the Monastiraki Square following an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
    Damage is seen on the bell tower of Church of the Pantanassa at the Monastiraki Square following an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
  • Tourist hug each other in Syntagma square after a strong earthquake hit near the Greek capital of Athens, Friday, July 19, 2019. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics gave the earthquake a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 but the U.S. Geological Survey gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.3. The Athens Institute says the quake struck at 2:38 p.m. local time (1113 GMT) about 26 kilometers (13.7 miles) north of Athens. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
    Tourist hug each other in Syntagma square after a strong earthquake hit near the Greek capital of Athens, Friday, July 19, 2019. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics gave the earthquake a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 but the U.S. Geological Survey gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.3. The Athens Institute says the quake struck at 2:38 p.m. local time (1113 GMT) about 26 kilometers (13.7 miles) north of Athens. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
  • A police officer stands on a street next to a damaged car following an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
    A police officer stands on a street next to a damaged car following an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
  • epa07726827 Citizens gather in an open area following an earthquake, in central Athens, Greece, 19 July 2019.An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Athens at 14:13 on 19 July 2019. The epicentre of the quake, according to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki professor of seismology Costas Papazachos was located in the Parnitha mountain range, above the Attica towns of Mandra and Magoula. EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI
    epa07726827 Citizens gather in an open area following an earthquake, in central Athens, Greece, 19 July 2019.An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Athens at 14:13 on 19 July 2019. The epicentre of the quake, according to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki professor of seismology Costas Papazachos was located in the Parnitha mountain range, above the Attica towns of Mandra and Magoula. EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI
  • People are seen on the Syntagma Square following the evacuation of nearby buildings after an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
    People are seen on the Syntagma Square following the evacuation of nearby buildings after an earthquake in Athens, Greece, July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
  • People speak on their phones as they stand outside the building they work in with the Greek Parliament in the background, after a strong earthquake hit near the Greek capital of Athens, Friday, July 19, 2019. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics gave the earthquake a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 but the U.S. Geological Survey gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.3. The Athens Institute says the quake struck at 2:38 p.m. local time (1113 GMT) about 26 kilometers (13.7 miles) north of Athens. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
    People speak on their phones as they stand outside the building they work in with the Greek Parliament in the background, after a strong earthquake hit near the Greek capital of Athens, Friday, July 19, 2019. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics gave the earthquake a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 but the U.S. Geological Survey gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.3. The Athens Institute says the quake struck at 2:38 p.m. local time (1113 GMT) about 26 kilometers (13.7 miles) north of Athens. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Europe

Athens earthquake causes people to run into streets of Greek capital

The magnitude of the earthquake, reportedly northwest of the capital, remains unclear

The National

July 19, 2019

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A strong earthquake has been felt in Athens, the Greek capital, causing people to run out into the streets.

The European Earthquake Monitoring Centre recorded the quake's epicentre at 22 kilometres (14 miles) northwest of the city. Its website quoted a witness as saying the quake was "strong but fortunately not very long".

The Athens Institute of Geodynamics gave the earthquake a preliminary magnitude of 5.1, however the US Geological Survey gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.3.

State broadcaster ERT captured the earthquake live as it happened.

Power cuts have been reported in the Greek capital and fire brigade received calls about people being trapped in building elevators.

An earthquake measuring 5.9 in 1999 left 143 people dead in Greece.

In July 2017, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake killed two people in Kos, damaging the Greek island's historic buildings.

Greece lies on a faultline where the Arabic, African and Eurasian plates meet.

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