Greek quake reawakens disaster memories
Print Edition
A STRONG earthquake with a preliminary magnitude between 5.7 and 6.1 hit the western Greek island of Kefalonia before dawn yesterday, sending scared residents into the streets just over a week after a similar quake damaged hundreds of buildings, reviving memories of a disaster in the 1950s.
Authorities said 16 people were slightly hurt, mainly by falling objects, roads were damaged and some areas suffered power and water supply cuts.
Christos Kyrakatos, a resident of one of Kefalonia’s villages, told Greek television that at least one person in his village had been taken away by ambulance after being injured by falling objects in his home.
Power and water supplies were cut and residents who had fled their homes also had to contend with heavy rain and low temperatures.
Kefalonia Mayor Alexandros Parisis said the port at the island’s second largest town of Lixouri, the closest to the epicenter, had been damaged.
Earthquakes have been rattling Kefalonia constantly for the past week, after a 5.9-magnitude temblor struck on January 26, damaging homes and slightly injuring seven people. Since then, thousands of residents have been spending nights with relatives or in ships sent to accommodate them.
Schools have been shut for the past week, and had not been scheduled to reopen until tomorrow, said Deputy Mayor Evangelos Kekatos.
Islanders were urged to stay calm and keep away from buildings that appeared damaged.
“This is a critical time, people must be careful and remain calm,” said deputy regional governor Antonis Kouris.
The Athens Geodynamic Institute registered the quake, which struck just after 5am local time, with a magnitude of 5.7 and an epicenter 12 kilometers northwest of the island’s capital of Argostoli. The US Geological Survey registered a 6.1-magnitude.
It reawakened memories of the devastating 1953 quakes on Kefalonia and neighboring Zakinthos, when a 7.2-magnitude temblor struck three days after a 6.4 quake, killing hundreds, injuring thousands and destroying nearly all the buildings on the islands.
Seismologists said more aftershocks were to be expected on the island. Several registered in the initial hours after yesterday’s quake.
“The whole area has been activated ... we are all on alert,” said Maria Sahpazi, head of the Geodynamic Institute.
Yesterday’s quake was felt as far away as Greek capital Athens, 300 kilometers away.
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