The Greek government says that the situation in Kos after the 6.4 earthquake is under control and there is no need for alarm.
“Slowly life is returning to normality,” the government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said, adding that in contrast to a similar 6.2 earthquake that hit the island of Lesvos last month the damage on Kos was limited.
A 11-strong government delegation arrived on the island a few hours after the quake struck.
It includes the citizens protection minister Nikos Toskas, Transport minister Christos Spirtzis, and deputy Minister of Shipping Nectarios Santorinios.
Santorinios stressed that there are no housing problems for either residents or tourists as no houses or hotels have been damaged.
“The situation is under control,” Toskas said. “We are examining the damages. It is our responsibility to assess the damages and see how we can help the people. Life is returning to normality. There is no panic,” the minister reassured.
The search and rescue units are expected to wade through debris from damaged old buildings – along with officials from the local fire services – lest there are other victims throughout the day.
Since early in the morning engineers are inspecting buildings throughout the island.
President of the Technical Chamber of Dodecanese, Yannis Glynos, told ANA-MPA, that “damages are confined to old buildings, while the new buildings of the island, including the numerous hotel units, present little or no problems.”
Professor Efthymios Lekkas, who is Greece’s top geology professor and heads the anti-seismic protection organization, says Kos should expect to be rattled by aftershocks for the foreseeable future.
“It was a big earthquake … aftershocks are happening and will happen,” he told the news portal newsit.gr, describing the tremors as “totally natural” and necessary.
For an earthquake of such magnitude, the damage had been very limited, he said.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
