A 5.1 magnitude earthquake has struck Greece, northwest of the capital. A seismologist appealed for calm but warned residents to be prepared for aftershocks.
Image: Reuters/A. Konstantinidis
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A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Greece about 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Athens on Friday, followed by a series of aftershocks. People filed into the streets as some buildings were evacuated.
Two people were lightly injured from falling materials, officials said late Friday evening.
"The situation is gradually subsiding," said Nikos Hardalias, general secretary for civil protection.
"The city withstood this and can handle it. There is no cause for concern."
Greek authorities also confirmed minimal damage to infrastructure in the capital.
Aftershocks expected
Seismologist Gerassimos Papdopoulos appealed for people in the capital to remain calm, but said "they must be psychologically ready for more aftershocks."
The earthquake appeared to have knocked out phone and cellular service across Athens.
Emergency services said they had received calls from people who were trapped in elevators. Some buildings had incurred minor damage, and many cars in the streets had been hit by falling masonry.
Efthymios Lekkas, head of the state anti-quake protection agency, told ERT that Athenians should not be concerned because "the capital's buildings are built to withstand a much stronger earthquake."
Authorities also confirmed that the Acropolis, a collection of ancient Greek buildings including the Parthenon, had survived the earthquake without damage.
Greece: Floods follow fatal storms
Fierce storms have struck the beloved tourist destination of Halkidiki in Greece. In just 10 minutes, high winds were able to leave behind massive devastation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Thestival.gr
Out of nowhere
A heavy hailstorm and a tornado surprised thousands of tourists on the northern Greek peninsula of Halkidiki. Power went out, trees fell, and bricks and dumpsters flew through the air.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Thestival.gr
Many injured
More than 60 people were injured bexcause of the storm, many from "chairs, bricks, dumpsters, and other objects flying through the area," according to Athanassios Kaltsas, the chief of the medical center in the small town of Moudania.
For at least six tourists, the storm came to a deadly end. These were the result of collapsed roofs and fallen trees. The victims came from Romania, Russia, and Czechia. Halkidiki is frequented by many eastern European visitors.
Image: Reuters/Staff
Emergency delcared
Civil defense chief Charalambos Stergiadis gave a televised statement: "I have never experienced winds so strong." Firefighters responded to at least 500 calls from people in need. The Greek Defense Ministry has sent soldiers with generators and clean-up equipment to the area.
Image: Reuters/A. Konstantinidis
"Unheard of phenomenon"
According to eye witnesses, the storm lasted only 10 minutes. Yet it was so strong that trees were torn out at the roots, landslides began, and cars were even blown into the air. Charalambos Stergiadis called it an "unheard-of phenomenon."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Moisiadis
Rare weather pattern
Greek meteorologists spoke of two cyclones melding together before sweeping through the area. This phenomenon is rare and develops only in close proximity to the sea. Until the late evening, the area was experiencing high temperatures of up to 40 degrees C (104 F). The heat allowed for a great deal of seawater to evaporate, allowing the cyclones to gather steam.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Thestival.gr
Italy also affected
Where exactly these storms strike is hard to predict. The storms in Greece came after days of extreme heat. A similar storm hit Italy, particularly on the Adriatic coast. Witnesses there described "hail stones as big as oranges."
