The country's Geological Survey Department said on Tuesday that an initial magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook the small island nation of Cyprus and was felt across the eastern Mediterranean region. No damage or injury has been reported so far.
The powerful quake struck at 3:08 a.m. (0108GMT) and had its epicenter 50 kilometers (31 mi) off the west coast of the island at a depth of 25 kilometers (15.5 mi).
The Geological Survey Department said several aftershocks were felt after the main quake. The head of the Acting Department, Christodoulos Hadjijorgio, told the state-run Cyprus news agency that the quake did not cause any damage or injuries because it was at such a depth and distance from the Cypriot coast.
The earthquake shook their beds, especially in the island's western district of Paphos where it was felt most. Many fell asleep with it and woke up to the rhythm of their routine.
State broadcaster CyBC reported that some people spent the night in their cars for fear of a recurrence. A video posted on the broadcaster's site shows several items falling off the shelves of a supermarket.
The Civil Defense Department said no serious damage or injuries were reported and no assistance was sought from any local authorities.
Several people also felt the quake along neighboring Turkey's Mediterranean coast, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.
In some districts of Turkey's southern Antalya province, people came out of their beds and took to the streets after feeling the tremors, the DHA news agency reported.
Cyprus is located in an active seismic zone where it is estimated that 15% of the world's earthquakes occur. The last major earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, occurred in 1996 and was the island's strongest earthquake in the past 120 years.