Earthquake rattles Greek capital

ATHENS — An earthquake which the US Geological Survey says had a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 has rattled central Greece and was felt in the country’s capital, Athens. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.

Wednesday’s quake occurred about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of the central city of Lamia and 125 kilometers (77 miles) northwest of Athens shortly after noon local time, the USGS said.

Earthquakes are frequent in Greece, which lies in one of the world’s most seismically active areas. But the vast majority are small or have epicenters deep beneath the seabed and rarely cause significant damage or injuries.