The 2008 Dodecanese earthquake, on 15 July 2008, was an earthquake near Kattavia on the island of Rhodes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The quake struck at 06:26 a.m. local time (GMT+3) and one woman was killed when she slipped and fell as she tried to flee her home. However, the earthquake did not cause any major damage. The earthquake was felt across the entire eastern Mediterranean, as far west as Libya, and inland as far as Damascus.
There was a significant aftershock the next day, 16 July, at 02:52 a.m. local time, which resulted in additional injuries. The aftershock was rated between 4.8 Mw and 5.0 Mw.
There is not unanimity on the location of the epicenter. The USGS places the epicenter at 35°58′59″N 27°47′06″E / 35.983°N 27.785°E / 35.983; 27.785 which is under the island of Rhodes about 3.4 kilometers northeast of Kattavia; while the Athens Institute of Geodynamics coordinates (35°51′N 27°55′E / 35.85°N 27.92°E / 35.85; 27.92) place the epicenter 19 km southeast of Kattavia which is off the island, under the seabed.
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—Amos Oz (b. 1939)