Earthquake Strikes Greece
Dateline: 09/09/99 - UpdateRescue efforts continue in the wake of the sharp temblor which struck Greece Tuesday, causing damage and at least 101 fatalities, 41 missing, and 2,000-plus injuries. 100 buildings are said to have collapsed, including a kitchen appliance factory and a cleaning supply factory, where exhausted search and rescue teams are still working to pull trapped survivors from the rubble.
| 13% of inspected buildings will be razed for safety reasons |
The initial quake struck at 2:56 pm Tuesday afternoon, Athens time. The Athens Seismological Institute has issued a preliminary magnitude figure of 5.9 on the Richter scale. The earthquake lasted ten seconds.
The epicenter was about twelve miles north of Athens, between the suburb of Menidi and the national park of Mount Parnes. 16,000 Athenians are said to be homeless, with many more sleeping outside in parks as aftershocks, including a substantial 4.3 one which struck around 6pm Friday, continue to plague Athens.
As is normal after a strong earthquake, aftershocks in the 4.0 - 4.9 range are occuring frequently and may cause additional damage. Fortunately, these appear to be abating in frequency and strength. Greek seismologists assert that they do not expect an additional major earthquake to strike the region, as had been reported by some news sources.
At present, many Athenians are staying out of buildings and some are staying in temporary tent cities in the National Garden and elsewhere. As many buildings will ultimately be condemned and razed, authorities expect some to be living in the tents for three or four months.
The Acropolis is reported to be fine, suffering very minor damage to one column and a gate, and is open for visitors. The National Archaeological Museum is closed for three days as archaeologists attempt to salvage some items which fell during the quake and assess the damage. Expect inspections to close or otherwise delay visits to tourist attractions while authorities assess the situation.
Sports facilities are also undergoing inspections, delaying or cancelling some events. The Euro 2000 soccer qualifier between Greece and Albania has been rescheduled for October 6th.
Earthquake authorities were cautious in their predictions last week after several minor earthquakes shook up Greece, with several experts suggesting caution and recommending preparations for a more major quake to come. Unfortunately, these expert predictions have proved correct.
If you can avoid travel in the Athens area for the next few days, do so. While the worst damage is in the suburbs north of Athens, specifically Menidi, Ano Liosia, Nea Filadelphia, Nea Ionia, Kifissia and Zefyri, power outages and repair crews will tangle communications and traffic.
Greece survived this quake relatively well compared to the more severe Turkish quake. The quake itself was milder, but past experiences have taught the Greeks to maintain better construction policies and government enforcement of standards. The epicenter was in a relatively uninhabited area near the Mount Parnes national park.
Most of the damage was in working-class and immigrant areas where some buildings may have been erected illegally or without full oversight.
Turkey, whose relations with Greece have warmed after the Greek aid efforts in the wake of the devastating quake there last month, has sent sympathy messages and offered reciprocal aid. Some rescue workers in Greece also helped in the Turkish quake effort.
Greece has a long history of earthquakes - Poseidon, god of the sea, was also god of earth tremors. Check back here for additional updates as this story unfolds.
Latest Greek News on the Quake:
Most frequent updates - Athens News Agency
Updates regularly - Macedonian Press Agency
Daily Updates - Athens News Daily<