ATHENS, Greece: The Greek island of Crete has been hit by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, just weeks after another quake caused one death and damaged hundreds of buildings.

According to the Geodynamic Institute in Athens, the undersea earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 and occurred at 12:24 p.m. local time off the island’s eastern coast.

It was felt more than 300 miles to the east, as far as the coast of Turkey and Cyprus, authorities said.

Following the earthquake, sea levels around the eastern port of Lerapetra rose and residents were advised to avoid the coast, as police and fire fighters were sent to remote villages in eastern Crete, though there were no reports of wide scale damage or injuries.

In an interview with Greek state radio, Crete’s deputy regional governor, Yiannis Leondarakis, said, “The quake was felt all over the island, and it did cause concern because we are still feeling the aftershocks from the previous quake.”

“Fortunately, there does not appear to be any serious damage, despite the fact that it was a strong event and occurred at a shallow depth,” he added.

When the quake hit, residents of the island’s largest city, Heraklion, fled outdoors, and many students left their classrooms and gathered outside their school buildings.

A 5.8-magnitude quake that stuck on 27th September caused one fatality and left hundreds of people from villages south of Heraklion without homes, forcing them to stay in tents set up by the army.

This latest quake also shook nearby Greek islands east of Crete, including Karpathos, where local officials told the Associated Press they received no reports of serious damage.