A magnitude-5.7 earthquake struck south-east of the Greek holiday island of Crete early on Friday, according to the Geodynamic Institute in Athens.
There were initially no reports of major damage or injuries. Authorities were carrying out checks, Greek broadcaster ERTNews reported.
The quake was clearly felt across the southern Aegean and lasted several seconds, residents said.
According to the Geodynamic Institute, the quake’s epicentre was around 20 kilometres south of the port city of Ierapetra, at a depth of about 10 kilometres beneath the seabed.
Crete lies north of a deep tectonic rift where the African and Eurasian plates meet, making the region prone to repeated earthquakes.