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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-09-09
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] DEATH TOLL OF TUESDAY'S POWERFUL QUAKE IN ATHENS IS RISING
[02] SEISMOLOGISTS REASSURING ABOUT AFTERSHOCKS
[03] EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR QUAKE-STRICKEN POPULATION
[04] DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
[05] WRITS AGAINST CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS
[06] SCHOOLS AND STOCK EXCHANGE STILL CLOSED
[07] EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXTENDS CONDOLENCES
[08] POLITICAL LEADERS AND ARCHBISHOP VISIT QUAKE-HIT AREAS
[09] FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL MATCHES POSTPONED
[01] DEATH TOLL OF TUESDAY'S POWERFUL QUAKE IN ATHENS IS RISING
The number of victims from Tuesday's powerful earthquake in Athens has
now risen to 70, as rescue teams work round the clock, often in heavy
rain, to remove those still trapped under the ruins of collapsed
buildings. Over 100 people have so far been rescued, while at least 600
others are reported injured. More than 36 hours after the earthquake,
measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, it is believed that about 70 people
are still trapped under the rubble. Bolstered by teams from France,
Turkey, Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, the Greek
rescue squad is concentrating on 17 main points.
[02] SEISMOLOGISTS REASSURING ABOUT AFTERSHOCKS
Seismologists of the Anti-Seismic Protection Committee, which met
yesterday at the ministry for the environment, planning and public
works, have given assurances that the major quake has already occurred
and that the continuing aftershocks, so far numbering over 750, are a
perfectly natural development. The strongest aftershock measured 4.7 on
the Richter scale. The Committee said such a powerful quake was a rare
phenomenon for the region of Attica, pointing out that a stronger quake
could be practically ruled out. Yesterday's rumours of a further big
tremor were condemned as unfounded and alarmist. People have been
warned, however, not to return to homes that have suffered damage
without first having the building checked by a civil engineer.
[03] EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR QUAKE-STRICKEN POPULATION
Emergency relief measures for residents hit by the earthquake were
announced yesterday by the prime minister, Kostas Simitis. He said
every family made homeless by the tremor would receive an emergency
payment of 200,000 drachmas, while camps with tents would be set up in
all the earthquake-hit districts of the city. So far more than 6,000
tents have been erected. Mr Simitis said the Post Office Savings Bank
had offered three multi-storey apartment blocks as immediate shelter
for the homeless. Homeless people will also be able to stay in hotels
free of charge or rent homes with the help of the state. Furthermore
the state is to cover one third of the cost of reconstruction or repair
of houses, and will grant 15-year interest-free loans to cover the
remaining costs. Subsidised loans will be available to enable
enterprises hit by the earthquake to get back on their feet.
[04] DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
The interior minister, Vaso Papandreou, stated yesterday that the
earthquake had caused immense damage. Experts in the district of Ano
Liossia said 25% of buildings had been condemned. The National Museum
of Athens and the Dafni Monastery suffered some damage in the
earthquake. The tremor hit the first floor of the Museum and the hall
with the Thira mosaics. At Dafni, damage to the monastery's mosaics and
the surrounding wall was reported. The Athens Acropolis and the
Parthenon sustained some very minor damage, while the Byzantine museum,
the Elefsina museum and the Kanellopoulos museum also suffered some
damage and will remain closed till Saturday.
[05] WRITS AGAINST CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS
Meanwhile the justice minister, Evangelos Yannopoulos, has instructed
the public prosecutor to issue writs against contractors and engineers
bearing responsibility for the damage and loss of life sustained in the
earthquake, including charges of manslaughter and negligence, bodily
harm and violation of building regulations.
[06] SCHOOLS AND STOCK EXCHANGE STILL CLOSED
Because of the earthquake, the opening of the school year has been
postponed for a week until 20th September, and repeat examinations for
high-school students who failed subjects at the end of the last school
year as well as examinations for children of Greeks abroad will be
resumed on 13th September. The Athens Stock Exchange will remain closed
again today. The administration made the decision yesterday saying that
because of the quake last Tuesday's transactions were not fully
cleared.
[07] EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXTENDS CONDOLENCES
The European Commission yesterday expressed its sorrow for the victims
of the earthquake, while a spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry
said Turkey was ready to use all means at its disposal to help its
"neighbour and friend".
[08] POLITICAL LEADERS AND ARCHBISHOP VISIT QUAKE-HIT AREAS
The Greek president, Kostis Stefanopoulos, the prime minister, Kostas
Simitis, the New Democracy party leader, Kostas Karamanlis, other
political party leaders and Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All
Greece have all been visiting the earthquake-hit areas.
[09] FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL MATCHES POSTPONED
Because of the earthquake, yesterday's scheduled football match between
Greece and Albania in the preliminary round of the European
Championships has been postponed until 6th October. Matches in the
Greek Basketball Cup have also been postponed.
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