Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
A strong earthquake with at least a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 struck the western Greek island of Lefkada on Tuesday, and an hour later, a 5.2-magnitude aftershock struck the area.
Different organizations are reporting different magnitude readings at this time. The Athens Geodynamic Institute told the Associated Press that the preliminary magnitude was 6.1 and that the quake struck at 9:10 a.m. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the preliminary magnitude was 6.5. Different agencies will usually have different readings hours and days after the quake, according to the Associated Press. Despite the lack of an official magnitude, residents in neighboring islands and even in Athens – 186 miles east of the island – felt the tremors.
Local officials stated that there has been at least one death. An elderly woman was killed after her house collapsed under a falling rock. Local residents told Reuters that another elderly woman was killed in a stable in a mountain village, but Greek police have not confirmed the second death. However, other news sources including the Washington Post have confirmed the second death.
The Christian Science Monitor reports that Greek officials are having a hard time assessing the damage because of landslides that are blocking roads. The Vassiliki harbor is also partially submerged due to the quake.
Other damages include several badly damaged houses and government buildings. Schools closed down in order for authorities to assess the safety of the buildings.
Earthquakes are common in Greece according to multiple news agencies. The Ionian Sea located to the west of Greece, is one of most seismically active areas of the world.