Tsunami warning after magnitude 6 earthquake hits Greece

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Crete on Thursday, triggering a tsunami assessment for areas in Greece, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), said.

The earthquake, which struck at a depth of 77 kilometers, happened in a region notorious for high levels of seismic activity. The monitoring agencies gave conflicting reports of the magnitude, ranging from 6.0 to 6.3, while Greece's Institute of Geodynamics put it at 6.1.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre added that a risk of a tsunami is being assessed at present. "Depending on earthquake-coastline distance, tsunamis can be local (<100km), regional (<1000km), or distant (>1000km)," the center stated in a release.

Emergency officials haven't confirmed any casualties or damage yet, but authorities are advising residents and tourists along coastal zones to be on guard and keep away from the coastline for the time being._Agencies.