5.5 magnitude earthquake rocks Ioannina (photos)

A 5.5 magnitude earthquake shook the city of Ioannina in north-western Greece, late Saturday night. According to the Geodynamic Institute of Patra, the epicentre of the tremor was located at the village of Pogoni, 16km from Ioannina, while it was also felt across the northwest coast of Greece in the cities of Preveza, the island of Kerkyra, Patra in the Peloponnese and the region of Thesprotia. Eyewitnesses say the earthquake lasted for some seconds, while cracks in houses in Kalpaki were reported. The head of the Civil Protection, Dimitris Mavrogiorgos said the tremor caused rock falls and problems on the road network. The main earthquake wad followed by 4 more powerful aftershocks, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5 and 4.9 on the Richter scale after 2.05am in the morning till 4am. No injuries were reported, although many residents in the regions affected chose to sleep in the open air out of fear.