ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- A strong earthquake jolted western Greece on Sunday, killing at least two people and trapping several people beneath collapsed buildings, according to officials and state-run media.
Rescuers remove a victim from a collapsed building after an earthquake struck Greece Sunday.
Another 37 were hurt as a result of the quake, many as they tried to flee their homes, Greek Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said at a news conference in Athens.
The temblor struck around 3:30 p.m. [8:30 a.m. ET] and measured 6.1 in magnitude, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Athens' Geodynamic Institute registered the quake at 6.5 on the Richter scale -- which is no longer used by the USGS.
Its epicenter was located about 20 miles [32 kilometers] southwest of the Greek port city of Patras.
Pavlopoulos immediately dispatched a rescue and recovery team, which includes members of five government agencies, to assess the damage and needs in the quake-stricken Peloponnese region.
So far, most of those reported trapped have been removed -- including a 43-year-old villager who died after his house collapsed on him, the interior minister said. The other victim died of a heart attack while being rushed to the hospital, he said.
"This is a very serious quake, but there will be no evacuations," Pavlopoulos said. iReport.com: Are you there? Send pictures, video
Video showed rescuers pulling an injured man from a collapsed building, quickly outfitting him with a respirator mask and loading him onto a stretcher. Watch rescuers pull out a survivor from rubble »
It was "no surprise" that a strong quake hit in the area, where earthquakes are common, according to Geodynamic Institute director Gerasimos Papadopoulos.
People in Athens -- about 80 miles [129 kilometers] east of the epicenter-- felt the ground shake for as long as 20 seconds.
Due to its fault lines, Greece is one of the most quake-prone countries in the European Union. A quake and aftershock both measuring over 6.4 in magnitude struck near Kalamata off the southern coast of the Peloponnese peninsula in mid-February, causing no major damage or injuries.
The last major earthquake in Greece was in 1999 and left about 100 people dead.
Journalist Anthee Carassava contributed to this report
All About Greece • Athens
A map showing the location of the Earthquake 
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 has struck Greece. The epicenter was recorded 20 miles away from the city of Patras, and 125 miles away from Athens, the Greek capital. The earthquake occurred soon after 12:00 UTC today, according to the Athens Geodynamic Institute. The USGS originally reported the quake as a magnitude 6.5.

There have been reports of at least two people killed and 37 injured. There has also been damage to property and mobile phone networks which are being overloaded. There are also reports of families trapped inside the rubble of homes and businesses.

The control tower at Andravida airport is reported to have sustained serious damage and has been abandoned. Many buildings and homes are said to be severely damaged or collapsed.

The tremors from the earthquake were noticeable in large parts of Greece, including Athens, but the shaking could be felt as far away as Italy.

A nationwide mobilisation of civil defence and fire brigade units commenced after the natural disaster.  
 
Finally, schools were also ordered closed on Monday in the affected areas.