Greece earthquake ALERT: TWO earthquakes hit in FOUR minutes – holiday hotspot rattled

Two earthquakes have struck off the coast of the Greek island of Crete, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. 

The quakes measuring 4.5 and 4.4 in magnitude struck at around 6am BST (8am local time), just four minutes apart.

The first 53km south-west of Tympakion and the other 55km from Tympakion.

Professor of Geology at the University of Athens, Efthimios Lekkas, said the two quakes hit at a depth of 10km.

He said “the earthquake was felt in Messolonghi, Aegio and Zakynthos, where there is a possibility that the beach of Navajo was also affected.”

Last week the authorities decided to shut down the beach of Navagio on the Greek island of Zakynthos, also known as Zante, after a landslide on September 13.

At least seven people were injured when part of a cliff face broke away at the beach which is popular with tourists.

The decision to close the beach came from the Zakynthos Island Port Authorities.

The injures were not life-threatening, the fire brigade and coast guard officials said.

Greek authorities said they had not received any reports of missing people, but they conducted a search and rescue operation as a precaution.

Among those injured was a 34-year-old woman from the Czech Republic, who suffered a fractured vertebra.

READ MORE: Tourists flee as cliff face falls on to holiday beach 

Her husband and two children were also treated for minor injuries by hospital staff, according to the Greek news website Kathimerini.

Three others were also hurt in the incident.

One witness said: “There was a noise and a small piece of rock fell, then a second bigger and finally a third big piece of rock that during the fall created a sea whirlpool that overturned the boats.”

Videos posted on social media showed large sections of the rock face crashing on to the beach, just inches from several bathers.

A couple of small vessels overturned from the force of the fall that caused high waves.

One of the Ioanian island’s main attractions, Navagio has a shipwreck on the shore and is surrounded by steep cliffs.

The beach can only be reached by boat.

READ MORE: Holidaymakers rocked by 5.5 magnitude quake