Related Resources • Skyros Island Links

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A middle-of-the-night earthquake shook up the Northern Sporades island of Skyros on Thursday, sending trembles as far as Athens and Thessaloniki hundreds of miles away. The quake and its numerous aftershocks damaged the St. George historic monastery, the museums, and caused substantial damage to the castle. The island is relying on spring water and regular deliveries by Greek Navy tanker ships until damage to the water system can be repaired.

This quake was the second strong one to hit the area within a week, though the first was a milder 5.4 and no damage was reported.

The official strength of the quake is registered as 5.7, though one Greek seismologist who predicted that a quake would hit Skyros put its strength at a much more powerful 6.4.

The fault which caused the quake is not related to the one which triggered the Athens earthquake, and scientists do not expect additional quakes as a result of this land movement.

Fortunately, there were no injuries reported though dozens of houses were damaged and many vehicles were hit by flying rocks.

What this means to your travel plans:

Normal life on Skyros is likely to be disrupted for several weeks. If you are planning a quiet getaway, you may want to revise your plans, especially as the aftershocks continue. Most attractions will be closed to the public for the immediate future as experts arrive to assess the damage.

Text Copyright 2001 by deTraci Regula. All rights reserved.