M5.6 Earthquake 8 km W of Elassóna, Greece — March 12, 2021
2021-03-12 12:57:50 UTC (2021-03-12) · approx. 1:57 PM UTC+1 local
Felt by 66 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.3 (very strong).
On March 12, 2021 at 12:57 UTC, a magnitude 5.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km W of Elassóna, Greece, at a depth of 7.0 km and coordinates 39.8931°, 22.0875°. The earthquake was reported felt by 66 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.3 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Elassona (population 7,060).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 4 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 4.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Greece, a region characterized by the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African Plate subducts northward beneath the Aegean at roughly 35 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Hellenic Trench. View all earthquakes in Greece.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 66 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 4,764,941 |
| MMI 4 | light | 789,676 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 35,445 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 12,976 |
Earthquake Details
22.0875°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Elassóna, Greece?
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck 8 km W of Elassóna, Greece on March 12, 2021 at 12:57 UTC had a depth of 7.0 km. It was felt by 66 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.3 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 39.8931°, 22.0875°, which is 8 km W of Elassóna, Greece. The nearest populated place is Elassona (population 7,060). View all earthquakes in Greece.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.6 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Greece had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Greece was the M8.5 Crete earthquake of June 29, 1303. Today's magnitude 5.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000dimf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 12, 2021). M5.6 Earthquake 8 km W of Elassóna, Greece — March 12, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000dimf/