Second quake in two days rattles Greek islands

An earthquake with preliminary 5.2-magnitude shook Greece's southern Aegean Sea islands today, the second in two days, Greek authorities said.

Civil protection officials said no damage to buildings was reported, but two people were lightly injured trying to flee their homes on the island of Crete.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute says the undersea earthquake occurred at 3:33 a.m. (0133 GMT) Friday about 46 kilometers southwest of the popular tourist resort island of Santorini, and 247 kilometers south southeast of the Greek capital, Athens.

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit the same area on Thursday morning, causing no damage or injuries.

Greece is in one of the world's seismically active areas. Out of the hundreds of quakes that occur every year, very few cause injuries or damage, although a strong earthquake on the outskirts of Athens in 1999 killed 143 people.

Santorini is a volcanic island that produced one of the biggest eruptions ever recorded some 3,600 years ago. The volcano last erupted in 1950. In 1956, a strong earthquake hit the island, killing more than 50 people and destroying dozens of buildings.

AP