People run into the streets in panic: Two earthquakes shake the Greek holiday island

Created: 09/01/2022 08:49

By: Miriam Haberhauer

Symbolic picture: The castle ruins of Lykourgos Logothetis are located in the small town of Pythagorio in the south of the holiday island of Samos.

© IMAGO/huntz

Two earthquakes hit the Greek holiday island of Samos on Wednesday afternoon.

15 minutes lay between the two earthquakes.

People took to the streets in panic, a spokesman said.

Samos - The Greek resort island of Samos was hit by two consecutive earthquakes on Wednesday afternoon (31 August).

As the Athens Geodynamic Institute reports, the two earthquakes were about ten kilometers south of the island, each 13 kilometers below the sea floor.

The first tremor reached a magnitude of 4.8, the second occurred 15 minutes later with a magnitude of 5.2.

Greek holiday island of Samos: people ran outside in panic

The first tremor caused people to run outside in panic, as a spokesman for the island rescue service reported on Greek television.

So far, no injuries or property damage have been reported, the mayor of East Samos, Giorgos Stantzos, told Greek TV channel Skai.

"We are checking whether there is any damage, but nothing has been discovered so far," Stantzos told the TV station.

There are many tourists on the island, but people don't have to worry.

He called on tourists and residents to remain calm and not panic.

There is no reason to worry, the politician continued.

The residents of Samos still have the severe earthquake of October 2020 in their bones - at that time several buildings collapsed in earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.9 and two young people died.

More than 100 victims were counted on the Turkish west coast, which was also affected.