Two earthquakes happened near Paphos on Friday evening. These caused shaking in the western part of Cyprus. International earthquake centers watched closely. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said the earthquakes happened just minutes apart. Many people felt the shaking. However, there were no injuries or building damage reported. This shows the area has geological activity. It also shows how good our tracking systems are.
The first earthquake had a magnitude of 3.5. Then, a stronger one followed with a magnitude of 4.1. Some reports said the first earthquake was a bit stronger. However, everyone agreed it was two light to medium earthquakes. They were strong enough to be felt on the coast.
The EMSC used its automatic alert system very fast. It sent a message on social media. The message said it was based on what people reported. It said, "#Earthquake possibly felt 16 sec ago in #Cyprus." This helped tell people quickly. Scientists checked the information later.
The shaking caused some worry for people. Many felt the ground move. Officials checked the situation quickly. They asked people to report how strong the shaking was. One newspaper said, "Authorities are monitoring whether there will be any aftershock activity." This is normal after an earthquake.
The Eastern Mediterranean is a place where the Earth's plates meet. Cyprus is in this active area. Earthquakes like these are not unusual. They are usually not destructive.
The quick response from monitoring groups shows good progress. Information reached the public fast. Officials will keep watching for more shaking. For the people living there, it was a surprising event. But it ended without problems. Life returned to normal on the coast.