A STRONG 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Greece today, and was felt on the tourist hotspot island of Zante, said monitoring agencies.

It struck off the southern part of the island, also known as Zakynthos, in the Ionian Sea at 1.50am, said the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Local media reported damage caused by landslides and electricity outages.

USGS said the quake, which struck at a depth of 16.6km, was preceded by a shake measuring 5.0 magnitude, and followed by a series of smaller aftershocks.

It said there is a low likelihood of casualties.

The Athens earthquake observatory said the tremor was felt strongly in Zante, a popular holiday destination with its own international airport.

Greece lies on major fault lines and is regularly hit by earthquakes, but they rarely cause casualties. – AFP, October 26, 2018.