ATHENS, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale shook parts of southwestern Greece on Thursday, without causing injuries or major damage, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

According to preliminary assessments by the Athens National Observatory's Geodynamic Institute, the tremor's epicenter was in the sea off Pylos town in Peloponnese peninsula about 240 kilometers southwest from Athens at a depth of seven kilometers.

According to the mayor of Pylos, local people remained calm and no problems have been reported.

Greece is a quake-prone country and often jolted by small or bigger tremors.

In the deadliest quake-linked tragedy in recent years, a 6-magnitude earthquake in Athens caused more than 100 deaths in 1999.