ATHENS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- A strong earthquake jolted Greece and most of the eastern Mediterranean on Sunday, officials said, but there were no immediate reports of damages or casualties.

    According to the Athens Observatory's Geodynamic Institute, theearthquake, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 13:35 local time (1135 GMT).

    The epicenter had been located 75 kilometers under the sea north of Hania, Crete, about 200 kilometers southwest of Athens.

    In the hour following the powerful quake, four more aftershocks were recorded with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 5.5, Athens News Agency reported.

    The earthquake lasted for about 10 seconds and was felt across Greece and as far away as southern Italy, Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan.

    Government officials told local television that there were no reports of any major damage to buildings or casualties in central and southern Greece.

    Officials on Kythira, an island close to the epicenter, told state television that several houses and roads were damaged and some old buildings collapsed but there were no injuries reported.

    Greek media reported two people on the island of Crete were injured as they rushed to leave their homes when the earthquake struck.

    "We were extremely lucky. This was an underwater quake," GeorgeStavrakakis, director of the Athens Observatory's Geodynamic Institute, told reporters.

    "If it had happened on land it would be a mess. We expect some post-seismic activity with aftershocks but the fact that it was deep in the sea saved us," he added.

    Experts warned that intense seismic activity would follow, and post-quakes of up to 6.0 magnitude on the Richter scale could be expected.

    They did not rule out the possibility of a "domino effect," saying that a quake measuring 7.0 magnitude on the Richter scale could activate other faults in wider areas.

    In September 1999, an earthquake of 5.9 magnitude hit Athens, killing at least 143 people and leaving 60,000 people homeless. Enditem