A Magnitude 4.4 Earthquake at a depth of 9.7 km occurred roughly 50 km to the south of the Greek island of Crete slightly before 5.00 am local time (slightly before 3.00 am GMT) on Friday 6 September 2013, according to the United States Geological Survey. There are no reports of any damage or casualties from this quake, though it may have been felt locally.
The approximate location of the 6 September 2013 Crete Earthquake. Google Maps.
Crete is located on the southern part of the Aegean Sea Plate, a small tectonic plate caught between the African Plate to the south, the Anatolian Plate to the east and the Eurasian Plate to the northwest. The Anatolian Plate is being pushed to the west by the northward movement of the Arabian Plate to the east, pushing the Aegean Plate south and west into collision with the northward moving African Plate. Part of the African Plate is being subducted beneath the Aegean Plate along the Hellenic Trench, to the south of Crete. This is not a smooth process, as the plates frequently stick together then break apart once the pressure has built up sufficiently, leading to (fairly frequent) Earthquakes.
See also Magnitude 4.1 Earthquake in Montenegro, Earthquake on the Gulf of Corinth, Earthquake rattles Crete, Earthquake off the Turkish coast and Earthquake in western Bulgaria.
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