A magnitude 5.5 earthquake (initially reported around 5.4-5.5 by various agencies) struck near Rodotópi in the Epirus region of northwestern Greece on March 7, 2026, at approximately 22:32 UTC (March 8 local time in Greece, around 00:32 GMT+2).
The epicenter was located about 2 km SSE of Rodotópi (a village near Ioannina), at a shallow depth of roughly 10 km (equivalent to about 6.2 miles). The quake was widely felt across Epirus, including in Ioannina (pop. ~65,000), Arta, Preveza, and parts of western Greece, with residents reporting moderate to strong shaking (MMI IV-V on the Modified Mercalli scale in the near field). Many described it as a sharp jolt lasting several seconds, causing items to fall, doors to rattle, and brief panic.
No immediate reports of major damage, injuries, or casualties have emerged as of March 8, 2026—typical for a shallow M5.5 event in a seismically active but well-prepared area like Greece. Authorities (including the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens and the Hellenic Fire Service) are conducting inspections in affected villages, particularly Rodotópi, Voulgareli, and surrounding areas. Minor rockfalls or cracked plaster in older buildings are possible but unconfirmed.
Aftershocks are ongoing, including smaller events in the M2-3 range in the hours following the main shock, as is common in this tectonic zone. The area lies near the active Pindus thrust belt and Ionian Sea subduction influences, where Greece experiences frequent moderate quakes (several M5+ per year on average).
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and USGS recorded the event, with citizen reports flooding in via “I felt it” submissions describing intensity levels. Social media (under #σεισμος) shows videos of swaying lights, alarmed residents, and locals checking on neighbors.