GREECE has been struck by a horror 6.1-magnitude earthquake with tremors being felt across Turkey and Israel.
Fears are now growing that a major tsunami could hit the popular Brit holiday islands of Crete and Santorini.
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The Greek government has issued a national directive ordering people to stay alert and vigilant as they continue to assess the quake and any potential aftershocks.
The national fire brigade are also now on high alert for any casualties, major damage or rescue operations which need to be carried out.
As of yet no injuries have been reported.
The tremor first hit 79km out from the city of Heraklion at 6:19am (3:19am UK time) this morning.
It comes just over a week after terrified Brits were told to immediately evacuate coastal regions of Greece amid tsunami fears.
A 6.3-magnitude quake struck both Crete and Rhodes as it quickly sparked panic among holidaymakers and locals.
The quake registered a depth of 62.5 kilometres and struck as many people slept, according to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens.
Its epicentre was the tiny Aegean island of Kasos.
Brit holidaymaker Nigel Cummings, who was on holiday in Crete, said: “We didn’t just shake, the whole earth seemed to wobble like jelly.
“The text message people got warning about a tsunami frightened a lot of us.”
More than 624,000 people reside in Crete, with around a third of the island’s population living in the capital, Heraklion.
The region lies in one of the most seismically active zones in Europe, where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
It’s generally thought that any earthquake over 6.0 can cause damage if it hits a populated area.
Roughly 100 earthquakes with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9 are recorded each year worldwide, according to Michigan Tech University.
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