Greece declares emergency on quake-hit island

Associated Press  • 
Enlarge Image Request to buy this photo
InTime News | AP photo
Earthquake damage litters the floor of a supermarket in the island of Kefalonia, western Greece.

Greece's government announced emergency relief for the residents of the Ionian islands of Kefalonia and Ithaki today, a day after they were hit by a strong quake that caused damage and slightly injured seven people.

Yesterday's quake, whose magnitude the Athens Geodynamic Institute revised to 5.9 from the preliminary 5.8, was followed by dozens of aftershocks that continued through today.

Frightened residents were preparing to spend a second night in their cars or town squares, fearing a possible bigger quake. Many recall the devastating quakes of 1953, when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck three days after a 6.4 temblor, killing hundreds, injuring thousands and destroying nearly all the buildings on the islands.

"We need 48 hours to say with 99 percent certainty that this was the main quake," Thanassis Ganas, head of research at the Athens Geodynamic Institute, said on Skai television. He added, however, that the multiple aftershocks were normal and expected.

Buildings erected in the area since 1953 have been constructed to strict anti-seismic specifications, and serious damage from yesterday's quake was limited. Rockslides shut some roads and many homes and stores suffered cracks and broken windows.

Schools will remain shut for a second day on both islands Tuesday while engineers inspect school buildings to ensure they are safe, the government said in a statement.

The state is setting aside 100,000 euros ($136,500) for the residents of each of the islands to meet immediate needs, while equal amounts were earmarked for the municipalities of both islands to provide to those "directly affected," it said.

Two ferries with a combined capacity of nearly 4,000 passengers were dispatched to Kefalonia to provide housing for residents whose homes were damaged.

Authorities also sent rescue vehicles and disaster response units on standby to Kefalonia, as well as police reinforcements.

Earthquakes are common throughout Greece, but the vast majority are small and cause no injuries or damage.