Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rattles Greek island of Rhodes

ATHENS, Greece – Greek authorities say an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 has struck off the Aegean Sea resort island of Rhodes. No injuries or damage immediately reported.

The Athens University Geodynamic Institute says the undersea quake struck at 16:30 local time (14:30GMT) Thursday some 60 kilometres (38 miles) south of Rhodes, in the southeastern Aegean near the Turkish coast.

Its epicenter was about 10 kilometres beneath the sea bed.

A smaller quake rattled the same area Tuesday.

Greece is in one of the world’s most seismically active zones, with dozens of mostly small quakes registered every day. But major damage and loss of life are rare.