Strong Earthquake Hits West of Crete A very strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 has struck west of the Greek island of Crete. The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the quake took place at 4:12 p.m. (1312 GMT), 68 kilometers (42 miles) west of the city of Chania, in Crete, and 279 kilometers (172 miles) south of Athens. The epicenter was 23 kilometers (14 miles) under the sea. The earthquake was also felt in Athens. Local media in Crete reported some damage to buildings but firefighters in Chania say there was no serious damage and no emergency calls.