Earthquake in Greece leaves 2 dead and more 190 injured

By KwakMin-jung Posted : July 21, 2017, 14:32 Updated : July 21, 2017, 14:34

Kos, a beautiful Greek island, was struck by a strong earthquake on Friday morning. It was reported two people died and over 190 people were injured. [Courtesy of Pixabay]


A strong earthquake measured a magnitude of 6.3 struck the islands of Greece and south west Turkish coast on early Friday morning. The affected areas are famous as the major tourist destinations and July was beginning of the tour season. 

The Greece officials said, two people were killed on Kos, a Greek island in the southeastern Aegean Sea, and over 190 people were injured in both Greece and Turkey: over 120 injuries were reported in Kos and over 70 injuries were reported in Bodrum, a western port city of Turkey, as of Friday. Two deceased people were identified as foreign tourists.

The damages were not as severe compared to the magnitude reported because the earthquake epicenter was originated in the sea. However, the rising sea level partially flooded Kos and the coastal areas of western Turkey.

The most of the buildings that were affected "were mostly old and were built before the earthquake building codes were introduced," said Kos Mayor, George Kyritsis, in an interview with a local Greek news. The island's historic port was also structurally damaged.

The local authorities and rescuers in Kos have been working vigorously to check inside of rubbles to see if there were any person trapped inside of buildings.

EMSC, The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, issued a warning on its social media, advising people in the affected areas to be careful of aftershocks and to sleep outside. 
 

So far, 15 strong aftershocks were reported and the majority of people in Kos slept outside for their safety. 

USGS, The United States Geological Survey, said it was a very shallow quake recorded 6.2 miles (10 km) below the seabed. The epicenter was about 6.2 miles (10 km) south of Bodrum and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Kos. 







Kwak, Min Jung = abiel@ajunews.com
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