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Earthquake in Turkey and Greece leaves at least two dead in Kos, 200 injured Earthquake in Turkey and Greece leaves at least two dead in Kos
(about 5 hours later)
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.7 has killed at least two people on the island of Kos and injured 200 in Greek and Turkish coastal towns. A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has killed at least two people on the island of Kos and injured 200 in Greek and Turkish coastal towns.
The quake struck near major tourist destinations around the Aegean sea in the early hours of Friday, Turkish and Greek officials said. Around 200 people have been injured, officials said, with at least 120 on Kos and 70 in Turkey. The quake struck near tourist destinations around the Aegean sea in the early hours of Friday, Turkish and Greek officials said. About 200 people were injured, officials said, including at least 120 on Kos and 70 in Turkey.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), which monitors earthquakes, said it was a very shallow quake – only 10km (6.2 miles) below the seabed – off the southwestern coastal city of Marmaris in the Mugla province. The epicentre was just 10km south of the Turkish resort of Bodrum and 16km east-northeast of Kos. The damage was, however, much less than could have been expected for an earthquake of its size. The United States Geological Survey said it was a very shallow quake – only 6 miles (10km) below the seabed – off the south-western coastal city of Marmaris in Muğla province. The epicentre was just 6 miles south of the Turkish resort of Bodrum and 10 miles from Kos.
The Turkish towns of Bodrum and Datca, and Kos in the Dodecanese Islands archipelago are all major tourist destinations. The two dead on Kos were identified as Turkish and Swedish nationals. Kos, in the Dodecanese archipelago, and the Turkish towns of Bodrum and Datça are all tourist destinations.
George Kyritsis, the mayor of Kos, told Reuters that at least two people were killed in the Greek island and several were injured by the quake. “We have two dead and some people injured so far,” Kyritsis said. A 15-strong team from Greece’s specialist search and rescue units flew into Kos in the early hours and the country’s armed forces were put on alert.
He later added that the two dead were foreigners. An 11-strong government delegation, including the citizens’ protection minister, Nikos Toskas, and the transport minister, Christos Spirtzis, also arrived on the island a little after 4am.
A hospital official on the island told AFP they had been killed when the ceiling of a building collapsed. Emergency services said the affected area was a bar in the centre of Kos town. Search and rescue units, along with officials from the local fire services, are expected to wade through debris in case there are other victims not yet recovered. The two tourists were killed when the ceiling of a bar in the centre of Kos town collapsed.
The island’s port was among structures that sustained damage and a ferry en route there was not docking, the coast guard said. Greece’s fire service said it had rescued three injured persons from a damaged building. The quake, the second exceeding magnitude 6 to hit Greece’s coastal region bordering Turkey in recent weeks, has produced more than 100 aftershocks, seismologists say. A second tremor measuring 5.1 struck 16 miles south of Leros, after the initial earthquake hit Kos at 1.53am local time (2353 GMT). Three further tremors measuring 4.6, 4.5 and 4.7 followed.
The chairman of Turkey’s disaster and emergency management presidency (AFAD), Mehmet Halis Bilden, warned citizens about incoming aftershocks, but added there were no casualties or major damage in Turkey. The Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said that in contrast to a similar 6.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Lesbos last month, the damage on Kos was limited. “Slowly, slowly life is returning to normality,” he said.
“Our people should know that aftershocks are continuing, so they should refrain from entering damaged or vulnerable structures,” Bilden told broadcaster CNN Turk. Ethymios Lekkas, Greece’s top geology professor, said Kos should expect to be rattled by aftershocks for the foreseeable future.
AFAD said it had observed at least 20 aftershocks in Turkey and Greece following the mainshock at 1.31am local time on Friday (22.31 GMT on Thursday). At least five of the aftershocks registered over 4.0 magnitude, with the largest so far at 4.6. “It was a big earthquake of 6.5 Richter aftershocks are happening and will happen,” he told the news portal newsit.gr.
A magnitude 6.7 quake is considered strong and is capable of causing considerable damage, but the effects of this one would have been lessened by striking in the sea. The European quake agency EMSC said a small tsunami could be caused by the quake, but Turkish broadcasters cited officials saying large waves were more likely. For an earthquake of such magnitude, the damage had been very limited, he said.
Television footage from Turkey’s Mugla province showed hundreds of people abandoning their buildings and waiting on the streets, as others ran away from buildings on roads. It showed cars shaking and products falling off shelves at stores across the region. “With the exception of our two fellow human beings who died, the effects have been very small. We have had a very big earthquake of 6.5 Richter and only the port and two very big buildings have really been affected by it, which is very important and shows the level of construction,” he said.
The UK foreign office has warned of aftershocks and advised British tourists there to follow the advice of local authorities and tour operators. A spokesman said: “We are speaking to the Turkish and Greek authorities following an earthquake off the coast of Bodrum and near the island of Kos. Newly built hotel resorts had survived intact testimony to their anti-seismic qualifications.
“Any British people in the areas affected should follow the instructions of local authorities.” Yiannis Glynou, who heads the technical chamber in the Dodecanese islands and is in Kos surveying the impact on buildings, told the country’s news agency: “The damage is limited to old stone buildings. New buildings on the island, including numerous hotel units, are showing almost no problems.”
The quake has struck at the start of the peak tourist season for Kos and Bodrum, with many travellers expected to arrive in the coming weeks. This Saturday would typically be one of the busiest weekends for arrivals.The quake has struck at the start of the peak tourist season for Kos and Bodrum, with many travellers expected to arrive in the coming weeks. This Saturday would typically be one of the busiest weekends for arrivals.
It’s not yet clear to what extent the quake will affect arrivals to and departures from the quake-hit areas. Ferries to Kos have been suspended. It is not yet clear to what extent the quake will affect arrivals to and departures from the quake-hit areas. Ferries to Kos have been suspended after the port suffered damage.
Two arrival flights from Athens to Kos and two departure flights from Kos to Athens have been cancelled. However, flights later in the day are currently scheduled as normal. Two flights from Athens to Kos and two flights from Kos to Athens have been cancelled. However, flights later in the day are currently scheduled as normal.
British tourists already in the region have told of the panic that set in as the earthquake hit. The chairman of Turkey’s disaster and emergency management presidency (AFAD), Mehmet Halis Bilden, said there were no casualties or major damage in Turkey.
Kristian Stevens, from Nelson in Lancashire, was staying in Didim, 100kms from Bodrum, when he felt the building he was in “shake like a jelly”. Sophie Wild, from Canterbury, was in Altinkum, 750kms from Bodrum, described running for her life from her room. “When we realised it was an earthquake, we got an immediate sense to get out, we thought the building was going to crumble around us.” Television footage from Muğla province showed hundreds of people abandoning their buildings and waiting on the streets, as others ran away from buildings on roads. It showed cars shaking and products falling off shelves at stores across the region.
Daniel Markham, a councillor on Tonbridge and Malling borough council in Kent, said he had felt the effects on the Greek island of Rhodes. He tweeted: “earthquake Rhodes felt it here too. Pretty strong. Looked out the window to see the waves in the pool.” The UK Foreign Office has advised British tourists to follow the advice of local authorities and tour operators.
In Bitez, a resort town about 6km west of Bodrum, the quake was felt at about 1:30 a.m. local time and sent frightened residents running into the streets. Two strong aftershocks followed. In Bitez, a resort town about four miles west of Bodrum, the quake was felt at about 1.30am local time and sent frightened residents running into the streets. Two strong aftershocks followed.
Hotel guests briefly returned to their rooms to pick up their belongings but many chose to spend the rest of the night outside, with some using sheets and cushions borrowed from nearby lounge chairs to build makeshift beds, according to an AP reporter on the scene. Hotel guests briefly returned to their rooms to pick up their belongings but many chose to spend the rest of the night outside, with some using sheets and cushions borrowed from nearby lounge chairs to build makeshift beds.
Mugla governor Esengul Civelek told a news conference that initial reports showed there was no major damage in that region. She said a small number of people had suffered minor injuries and that authorities would provide supplies and assistance to citizens on the streets. The quake is also believed to have caused a small tsunami in the port of Kos, which subsequently suffered extensive damage.
Mugla mayor Osman Gurun said power outages affected certain parts of the province and that telephone operators had experienced shortages due to overloads. The wave was described as being about 70cm high. A similar phenomenon occurred in the port of Plomari on Lesbos, when an earthquake measuring 6.2 occurred in June.
Bodrum’s mayor, Mehmet Kocadon, said the earthquake had caused minor cracks on some old buildings. More than 600 people died in October 2011 in Turkey’s eastern province of Van after a quake of 7.2 magnitude and powerful aftershocks. In 1999, two massive earthquakes killed about 20,000 people in the densely populated north-west of the country. A 5.9-magnitude quake in 1999 killed 143 people in Greece.
More than 600 people died in October 2011 in Turkey’s eastern province of Van after a quake of 7.2 magnitude and powerful aftershocks. In 1999, two massive earthquakes killed about 20,000 people in the densely populated northwest of the country. A 5.9 magnitude quake in 1999 killed 143 people in Greece.
Reuters, Press Association, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report.