Two women reported dead as earthquake registering 6.7 magnitude hits off Greek island Lefkada
Update: Two women are reported to have died after an earthquake registering 6.7 magnitude struck off the Greek island of Lefkada.
The earthquake occurred 10 kilometres below the Earth's surface, the US Geological Survey reported initially, later revising this to a depth of five kilometres, and a higher reading of 6.8 magnitude.
The quake happened at around 7:10am London time.
A local publication said a 60-year old woman had died in Ponti Vasiliki, "when a large rock dislodged from the mountain and crashed into the wall of her home", fatally wounding her in the head.
Read more: Second quake strikes Greek island of Lefkada
Another woman was killed in the village of Athani, when her house collapsed during the quake. In the same village, at least three other houses collapsed, injuring several people.
Four people are said to have been taken to hospital, including a 12-year-old boy and an 88-year-old woman.
Deputy mayor of Lefkada Mark Nikitakis told Skai that communication with southern parts of the island was proving difficult, and it was too early to know the extent of any other damage or injuries.
The tremor was felt across western Greece, with people on Lefkada and nearby Ionian Sea island of Kefalonia rushing out into the streets, according to local media.
The fire brigade said it was sending crews to Lefkada to assess the situation.
The island is off the west coast of Greece, about 180 miles away from Athens.
More to follow…