Magnitude 5.0 tremor strikes Greece; no damage reported

ATHENS, Greece — A magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit central Greece early Sunday, but there were no early reports of damage or casualties.

The tremor struck at 1:02 a.m. and had an epicenter 12.7 kilometers (8 miles) below sea level in the Gulf of Corinth, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west-northwest of the capital, the Athens Institute of Geodynamics reported.

The tremor lasted at least 15 seconds and was felt over a large area. Near the sparsely populated epicenter, residents reported hearing a buzzing sound, according to local media.

Tremors of this magnitude are common in Greece, which lies in a highly earthquake-prone area, north of where the African plate is pushing underneath the Eurasian plate.