Strong earthquake shakes Cyprus

A strong earthquake shook Cyprus late on Saturday afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The tremor was felt all over the eastern Mediterranean island, especially by people living in high-rising buildigs. The Cyprus Geological Department said the quake struck at 5:20 p.m. local time (GMT1520) and measured 5.8 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was 210 kilometers north of the capital Nicosia at a depth of 61 kilometers under the sea between Cyprus and Turkey close to the city of Antalya, where reports said it was also felt. Cyprus lies in a particularly active seismic area and smaller shocks are quite frequent. Several destructive quakes struck the island in the past. In 1953, a magnitude 6 tremor destroyed several villages in the western part of the island, leaving 40 people dead and injuring about 100 more. In 1996, an even stronger quake of magnitude 6.5 shook the entire island but despite widespread damage only two people were killed and 20 injured.