An earthquake centred near Kalkan/Kas in Turkey could be felt in Fethiye today at 12:08 local time.

According to the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute the quake measured 4.5 on the Richter Scale with the epicentre 26.6 km under ground in the Kalkan/Kas area near Antalya. 

The quake could be felt in Fethiye to those sitting down, but for many people going about their daily business the effects were too small to notice.

Many parts of Greece and Turkey, including Fethiye, are situated on or near major fault lines or cracks in the earths crust that move from time to time.

Fethiye was levelled in 1957 by an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale. The nearby Greek island of Rhodes was also significantly damaged.

What is the Richter Scale?

The Richter Scale is the best known scale for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes. The magnitude value is proportional to the logarithm of the amplitude of the strongest wave during an earthquake. A recording of 7, for example, indicates a disturbance with ground motion 10 times as large as a recording of 6. The energy released by an earthquake increases by a factor of 30 for every unit increase in the Richter scale.

So what does that mean to the person on the street?

The table below describes what happens at different magnitudes:

The above effects may be different depending on the structure of the ground. Those on unstable ground such as clay will feel greater effects than those on a stable ground such as granite.