A 4.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Paphos has raised concerns about potential land subsidence in the nearby town of Pissouri.
The tremor, which struck on Tuesday night, was the eighth quake ranging from 4.2 to 5.2 magnitude in the area over the past three decades.
The Geological Survey Department will inspect recording instruments in the coming days to determine if the earthquake has further affected the area’s subsurface.
The epicentre’s location echoes that of a destructive 1953 earthquake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, killed 40 people, and left 4,000 homeless.
Despite the parallels, the director of the Geological Survey Department Christodoulos Hadjigeorgiou expressed confidence that a larger earthquake is unlikely, though cautioned it was too early to draw definitive conclusions.
The recent quake, originating 13 kilometres below the surface, is part of the Cypriot seismic arc, an area characterised by compressive forces. Two minor aftershocks have been recorded thus far.
Authorities will be closely monitoring Pissouri, which has a history of land subsidence issues, for any new ground movements resulting from the seismic activity.
The earthquake was reportedly felt in neighbouring countries, including Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.
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