Earthquake in Crete: Damage to Heraklion’s Historic Center and Alikarnassos from 6.1 Magnitude – “We Removed Dangerous Debris”

Damage to buildings in the historic center of Heraklion and the Alikarnassos area occurred due to the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that shook the island early Thursday morning (May 22, 2025). Continuous inspections by authorities are ongoing to assess the damage, with a comprehensive picture expected by midday, according to Heraklion Deputy Mayor for Civil Protection, Manolis Chairetis, speaking to newsit.gr. ‘A continuous assessment of the damage caused by the earthquake is being conducted, and we have requested all incidents to be categorized,’ he initially stated. He continued, ‘We want to see how many homes are affected, examine public spaces, and determine if any monuments were damaged. Some incidents occurred in the historic center, while others were reported in the Alikarnassos area.’ ‘In some areas, we had to remove dangerous debris, and civil engineering and technical service experts are assisting us throughout this process,’ he emphasized. Residents described the moment of the powerful quake, with one stating, ‘I thought the building was going to collapse.’ The earthquake was felt across much of southern Greece, particularly in the Lasithi region. Despite its intensity, no major casualties were reported, but residents expressed fear as it was stronger than the previous Arkalochori quake. The main earthquake struck at 6:19 AM, 56 km northeast of Lasithi, followed by at least 17 aftershocks.