Powerful earthquake rocks southern Greece
ATHENS, Greece: A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 struck southwestern Greece on Sunday, killing at least two people, injuring more than 100 and flattening dozens of homes, authorities said.
It was Greece's first fatal earthquake since 1999, when a 5.9 magnitude quake near Athens killed 143 people and left thousands homeless.
Sunday's quake struck at 3:25 p.m. (1225GMT) near the port city of Patras, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) west of Athens in the northwestern Peloponnese, and had a shallow epicenter, the Athens Geodynamic Institute said. It was felt as far away as southern Italy.
By nightfall, six of the 120 injured remained hospitalized, authorities said.
With dozens of houses destroyed or severely damaged, the government said it would give €3,000 (US$4,680) as aid to anyone who had lost their primary home in the quake.
"My thoughts in these hours are with our fellow citizens who are suffering," Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said in a statement from Vienna, Austria, where he was on a three-day visit. "Along with sadness for all that has happened and for the loss of lives, I want to stress and underline that the state will be at (their) side."
Karamanlis was to cut his visit to Austria short by two days and return to Greece on Monday.
Frequent aftershocks rattled already frightened residents, and seismologists urged caution, particularly around buildings that damaged in the initial quake.
"We are watching the seismic activity with great attention. We are not yet certain that the danger is completely over," said Athens Geodynamic Institute director Gerasimos Papadopoulos. Although it was unlikely that there would be a stronger quake, "there is still concern. ... For this reason, and because strong aftershocks are expected, great care must be taken."
Authorities said they would set up tents for those left homeless and distribute food.
Military rescue helicopters and transport planes, and a specialized Air Force rescue crew were placed on standby, the National Defense General Staff said.
The quake damaged the air traffic control tower of the Andravida military airport, but a secondary tower was being used and the airport remained open, the general staff said.
Two families — seven people in total — were rescued after being trapped in collapsed houses in the village of Fostaina, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Patras, and in the village of Vartholomio, authorities said.
Television footage showed rescue crews pulling a 9-year-old girl from beneath the rubble of her house in Fostaina after a two-hour rescue effort and placing her on a stretcher. The girl suffered only slight injuries.
"I have seen nothing like that in my lifetime," an 88-year-old woman in Kato Ahaia, told state-run NET television. "When the earthquake began, I was in bed. I tried to leave but fell down. I crawled on my knees to the front door." She said neighbors got her out of the house.
Teams of rescuers from 17 Balkan and Mediterranean countries who had just arrived in Greece for a disaster response training exercise joined Greek colleagues in rescue efforts.
Hours after the quake, terrified residents stayed away from their homes, gathering in village squares and outdoor coffee shops. Local authorities cordoned off unsafe buildings in villages, and ordered all schools in the area to remain shut Monday.
The Tourism Ministry and Greek tourist board said no damage had been reported in any of the area's hotels and that no holiday-makers had been hurt.
Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said the damage was relatively light.
"An initial assessment shows we don't have widespread damage," Pavlopoulos said. "The consequences of an earthquake of this intensity and at this depth were relatively limited."
The fire service said a landslide cut off part of the Corinth to Patras highway.
The U.S. Geological Survey gave a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 for the quake, while the Athens Geodynamic Institute gave a preliminary magnitude of 6.5. Magnitudes often vary in the first hours or days after an earthquake.
Greece is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, but most quakes cause no injuries.
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Associated Press writer Dimitris Nellas contributed to this report.
A map showing the location of the Earthquake 
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 has struck Greece. The epicenter was recorded 20 miles away from the city of Patras, and 125 miles away from Athens, the Greek capital. The earthquake occurred soon after 12:00 UTC today, according to the Athens Geodynamic Institute. The USGS originally reported the quake as a magnitude 6.5.

There have been reports of at least two people killed and 37 injured. There has also been damage to property and mobile phone networks which are being overloaded. There are also reports of families trapped inside the rubble of homes and businesses.

The control tower at Andravida airport is reported to have sustained serious damage and has been abandoned. Many buildings and homes are said to be severely damaged or collapsed.

The tremors from the earthquake were noticeable in large parts of Greece, including Athens, but the shaking could be felt as far away as Italy.

A nationwide mobilisation of civil defence and fire brigade units commenced after the natural disaster.  
 
Finally, schools were also ordered closed on Monday in the affected areas.