Series Of Earthquakes Rattle Southeast Macedonia Near Border With Greece

A series of mild to moderate earthquakes has rattled Macedonia, causing panic and minor damage to houses near the epicenter.

There were no immediate reports of injuries from the quakes, which occurred early on January 2.

Macedonia's National Seismological Observatory said the strongest earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1 and struck at 5:24 a.m. local time in the Dojran area near the border with Greece, about 145 kilometers southeast of the capital, Skopje.

The quake's epicenter was about 12 kilometers from the town of Drosato in northern Greece.

It occurred at a depth of about 15 kilometers and was felt in the Macedonian town of Strumica, in northern Greece, and in the southeast Bulgarian towns of Petrich and Sandanski.

The observatory said on January 2 that about 100 mild tremors were registered in the area since late on January 1.

The Dojran area has been the site of powerful earthquakes in the past -- including a 6.6-magnitude quake in 1931.

With reporting by AP