The prosecutor of Herakleio, Crete, launched a criminal investigation and assigned the Department of Electronic crime at Greek Police to urgently investigate the alleged claims that a very strong earthquake of 9.5 R would strike the island of Crete in August.
At first stage, the Electronic Crimes Department will seek the “electronic footprint” and data about the administrator of the English-speaking website that posted this claim – a claim that caused great concern to locals and possibly also to foreign tourists.
In the context of investigation, Profession Efthimios Lekkas, director of Earthquake Planning and Protection Agency, whose name was involved in the hoax.
Efthimios Lekkas categorically dismissed the claims and said that he was neither involved in a study the website alleged he was nor there can be earthquake prediction. Furthermore, he made clear that the tectonic plates in the area do not produce earthquake of such magnitude.
Lekkas was the first to call on a legal investigation.
So far, the name of the website has not been made public by the authorities. IT is not clear, whether the website is based in Greece or abroad. In case of the second possibility, the cooperation of the Greeks with foreign authorities will be needed.
