2 killed in Greece-Turkey earthquake

A Swedish tourist and a Turkish visitor were killed on the Greek island of Kos after a powerful earthquake rocked parts of Greece and Turkey in the early hours of Friday leaving over 200 injured, police said.

The victims were two men aged 27 and 39, respectively. Both were inside a bar when the temblor struck at 1.30 a.m., causing the ceiling to collapse and crushing them to death, Efe news reported.

Civil protection officials said that 90 people had been rushed to several hospitals on the island, although 75 were discharged after receiving first aid.

Of the remaining 15 injured, five who were in serious condition were transferred to other hospitals outside the island. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake reached a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale, but Greek authorities put the figure lower at 6.4.

Around 200,000 tourists were on the island at the time of the quake, said Konstantina Svinou, President of the Hoteliers Association of Kos.

According to the Athens Institute of Geodynamics, the quake's epicentre was located between the Aegean islands of Rhodes and Kos.

It caused extensive damage to Kos' historical centre. The port also suffered considerable damage, the Greek deputy Minister for Maritime Affairs and the Islands, Nektarios Santorinios, told Greece's state broadcaster after visiting Kos. Santorinios added that large vessels would be unable to dock at the port for some time.

Shortly after the earthquake, a 5.1-magnitude aftershock struck about 26 kilometres north of Leros Island, followed by three more shocks of about 4.6, 4.5 and 4.7 magnitudes. The earthquake also caused a small tsunami that damaged some ships at the southwestern Turkish port city of Bodrum, where dozens were reportedly injured.

--IANS

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