A strong earthquake measuring magnitude Mw 6.8 occurred in the Ionian Sea near the coasts of Greece during the night between 25 and 26 October 2018 at 22:54:51 UTC (01:54:51 in Greece).[2]Sea level changes were predicted,[3] and a tsunami advisory was issued.[4] Reports of sea level change of up to 20 centimeters were reported in Greece and Italy.[5]
The epicenter was located about 133 km from Patras. The earthquake occurred 14 km below the surface.[5] Power outages were reported on the island of Zakynthos, and a 15th-century monastery was also damaged on the islands of Strofades.[6][5] The port of Zakynthos also sustained major damage, and a state of emergency was declared in the municipality.[7] Services around Zakynthos were affected, and schools were closed on October 26.[8] Tax relief was also extended into January in order to support the local tourism industry.[9]
Other structures were damaged, but despite the magnitude of the event, there were no reported serious injuries or casualties.[10] About 120 homes were left uninhabitable, and the town laterally shifted 5 centimeters as a result of the earthquake.[11] A strict building code was cited as a possible reason for the limited amount of damage, as Zakynthos suffered major damage from a 1953 earthquake.[8][5]
The main shock was followed by multiple aftershocks in the following days, including undersea aftershocks of magnitude 4.4 and 5 over a week after the initial earthquake.[14] The largest reported aftershock was of magnitude 5.6 the day of the initial earthquake.[15]
Efthimios Sokos, František Gallovič, Christos P. Evangelidis, Anna Serpetsidaki, Vladimír Plicka, Jan Kostelecký, Jiří Zahradník; The 2018 Mw 6.8 Zakynthos, Greece, Earthquake: Dominant Strike-Slip Faulting near Subducting Slab. Seismological Research Letters doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220190169
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