European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre
The earthquakes of the last 30 days in Cyprus and the sea around it: how strong, where, when and how deep.
Good to know
Cyprus sits on the boundary where the African plate moves under the Eurasian plate, along the Cyprus Arc to the south and west of the island. Small earthquakes are recorded here every week, most of them too weak to be felt.
This page lists the earthquakes located in Cyprus and the sea around it, with the place described by the nearest town so you can tell at once how close one was.
Source: the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which also carries the locations of the Cyprus Geological Survey Department. For official announcements follow the Geological Survey Department and Civil Defence.
The newest earthquake is shown at the top of the page with how long ago it happened. A new earthquake usually appears within a few minutes; its first magnitude is automatic and can change slightly once a seismologist reviews it.
Earthquakes below about magnitude 3 are rarely felt. From 3 to 4 they are often felt near the centre, especially indoors and on upper floors. From 4 to 5 they are felt widely and objects can shake. Above 5 damage becomes possible.
A shallow earthquake is felt more strongly at the surface than a deep one of the same magnitude. Many earthquakes near Cyprus happen tens of kilometres down, which softens how they are felt.
Yes, occasionally. The island has a long history of damaging earthquakes, the most recent serious ones being Paphos in 1953 and an offshore earthquake west of Paphos in 1996. Modern buildings follow an anti-seismic code.
Stay where you are and protect yourself: drop down, take cover under a sturdy table or beside an inner wall, and hold on until the shaking stops. Keep away from windows and do not use lifts. Outdoors, move away from buildings and power lines.
Cyprus and the surrounding sea, including the stretch south and west of the island where most of the region's earthquakes happen. Strong earthquakes further away, in Turkey or the Greek islands, can also be felt in Cyprus but are not listed here.