Earthquake hits Athens, Greece

It was a 5.3 magnitude.

July 19, 2019, 8:59 AM

An earthquake hit Athens, Greece, on Friday, causing strong shaking in the capital city.

The earthquake was a 5.3 magnitude, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and hit just after 2 p.m. local time.

People in Athens felt the earthquake as it hit, causing some to run into the streets, per the Associated Press.

The mobile phone network went down and there were some power outages reported around the city. The fire department is responding to calls of people trapped in elevators.

Otherwise, there was no reported serious damage or injuries immediately after the quake. The Acropolis Museum remains open, although many people around the city were sent home from work for the day.

It officially hit about 14 miles from Athens, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center said, and lasted just a few seconds.

The last major earthquake to hit Athens was a 6.0 magnitude quake in 1999, which caused extensive damage and killed over 140 people.

ABC News' Daphne Tolis contributed to this report.

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