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An inconceivable tragedy after the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Friday afternoon off Samos and was felt as far as Athens and Istanbul.
In Samos there was material damage and a small tsunami was registered. Unfortunately, long after the main earthquake, two 15 and 17 year old children, a boy and a girl, were crushed by a wall in Vathi, Samos and lost their lives. A third boy, aged 14, was flown by C-130 to Athens for first aid. The 14-year-old boy’s life is out of danger, however, due to multiple injuries, he had to receive intensive care.
After the main earthquake, a total of 84 aftershocks were recorded, with the largest reaching 5.1 Richter. The images in Izmir they are actually images of chaos.
See LIVE image from Izmir:
By 7:00 p.m., at least 12 people had died and more than 400 had been injured. while dozens were trapped by buildings that collapsed in seconds, at least 20 according to the city’s mayor.
People flooded the streets of the touristic city of Izmir as they rushed from the first moment, with their bare hands, to free the people.
More specifically, the mayor of Izmir, Tunz Soger, claimed that some 20 buildings collapsed in the province. According to the Agency for Athens and Macedonia in Bournova, rescuers, with the help of residents and police, were trying to open a passage between the ruins of a seven-story apartment building using chainsaws, according to images broadcast on public television TRT.
Applause was heard every time a man emerged alive from the rubble in the southern neighborhoods of Izmir.
It is worth noting that a woman lost her life when she drowned in the tsunami in Izmir.
The images posted on social media were shocking.
The inhabitants of the area tried to climb high places and floors, in order to avoid the waters of the sea that reached the interior of the city.
The testimony in News 24/7 scored by Athena Samoglou.
“There is panic. Ambulance sirens are constantly heard. Several houses fell in Bairakli, without us knowing exactly why. I was in the garden of my house when the earthquake occurred. It was very great both in intensity and duration. duration was what “scares me personally. We are constantly watching television and trying to stay calm. However, there is a lot of mobilization by the authorities. We are also waiting for the aftershocks. “
All forces on Samos
The Deputy Minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Nikos Hardalias, rushed to Samos with a government official after the major earthquake on the island, to assess the situation.
The island is shocked by the death of the two children, while the Prime Minister also expressed his condolences.
The Deputy Minister was accompanied on the island by the Deputy Minister of the Interior Theodoros Livanios, the Secretary General for Infrastructure Georgios Karagiannis, the Secretary General for Reception of Asylum Seekers Emmanouil Logothetis, the Commander of the 1st Ministry of Health of the Ministry of Health, Secretariat of Protection Civil, as well as the First Response Team of the General Secretariat of Civil Protection.
Likewise, a ladder from the 1st EMAK headed to the island, while with special flights from the General Secretariat of Civil Protection, EKAB officials and civil engineers from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the General Secretariat for Civil Protection went to the island to carry out static inspections of buildings. the seismic damage record.
All civil protection forces were activated, while all the Special Disaster Management Units (EMAK) of the Fire Brigade were put on alert.
Karlovasi.
EUROKINISSI
Testimonials about NEWS 24/7
Argyro Karatzima, a resident of Vathi, Samos, described to News 24/7: “The earthquake was very intense and long lasting. The whole earth was shaking, we were afraid. We left immediately, running, panic prevailed in our neighborhood in Vathi, they were running down the street. I had never experienced anything like this, it was shocking. We had no damage in our neighborhood, but we were told there is damage on the island. “There is fear.”
Images of Vathi Samos
As Mr. Giannis Vouros from Vathi de Samos said, who also filmed the moment of the earthquake: “The vibration lasted for 10 to 15 seconds. I was in Ano Vathi at the time and could see the city from above. There is a lot of damage in the city. There are disasters inside every house. Right now I am in a settlement on the outskirts of Vathi. In the settlement of Agios Konstantinos, the church of the same name has also suffered serious damage. “The water has reached at least at first stores. The people of Vathi have climbed the hills so as not to be in danger. “
the News 24/7 He spoke with the mayor of Ikaria, Nikos Kalambogia, but also with a neighbor of the island, who described the nightmarish moments they lived through. The mayor of Ikaria, Nikos Kalambogias stated the following: “We are trying to see the damage, we do not have a building collapse, some rocks have fallen, as we had landslides, we are trying to collect all the information, in some settlements there is a power outage. “
“We have no electricity at the moment. We had an incredible panic. Our souls left. We thought the house would fall. They kicked us out and we haven’t even entered the houses yet. The buzzing and duration was incredible. So far we don’t see any damage. and “Those I have contacted have not told me anything,” an Armenistis Ikaria resident told News 24/7.
Mitsotakis named Erdogan
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis telephoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his condolences for the tragic loss of life in the earthquake that affected both countries.
“Whatever our differences, these are times when our people need to be united,” said Mr. Mitsotakis. For its part, the turkish president declared that his country is “ready to help Greece”. “We pray that there is no further loss of life in Turkey or Greece and send our deepest condolences to all those affected in both countries. This tragedy reminds us once again how close we are despite our differences in politics.” ready to help if Greece needs it, “said the Turkish side.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias telephoned his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Tsavousoglu, and expressed the willingness of the Greek government to send EMAK forces to the neighboring country immediately.
Mitsotakis asked the residents of Samos to be especially careful, while announcing that announcements of new measures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic are postponed until tomorrow Saturday.
But also from the Turkish side, the country’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, tweeted: “We pray that there are no more victims in Turkey or Greece and we send our warmest wishes to all those who suffered the consequences of the earthquake and to both sides. This tragedy reminds us once again how close we are, despite our political differences. We are ready to help if Greece needs it. “
On behalf of the Greek government, the director of Prime Minister Eleni Sorani’s diplomatic office also contacted Erdogan’s adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, and expressed the support and readiness of Athens to offer assistance.
EU and NATO support in Greece and Turkey
The European Union and NATO have announced their readiness to provide assistance to Greece and Turkey after the strong earthquake, expressing their condolences to the families of the victims.
“We are monitoring the situation and we are ready to help in whatever way we can,” tweeted the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Our thoughts go out to all those affected by the strong earthquake in the Aegean, in Turkey and in Greece. I send my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives. The EU has offered help and is ready to support We all efforts ”, said the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell.
“The European Union is ready to help,” said David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament.
Debris rescue operation in Smyrna after the strong earthquake
AP
“I am deeply saddened by the reports of an earthquake in the Aegean. My thoughts are with all those affected,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter, emphasizing that the North Atlantic Alliance was ready to help Greece and Turkey.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also expressed the readiness of the EU to provide assistance to the areas affected by the earthquake.
Crisis Management Commissioner Janes Lenarcic said the European Emergency Coordination Center was in close contact with civil protection authorities.
Many European and Balkan countries offered their condolences and assistance.
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