Advertisement

6.7-magnitude earthquake kills 2, injures more than 100 in Greece and Turkey

By Danielle Haynes, Ray Downs
The 6.7-magnitude earthquake was situated near the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. Image courtesy USGS
The 6.7-magnitude earthquake was situated near the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. Image courtesy USGS

July 20 (UPI) -- A 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit popular tourist areas near several Greek islands and Turkey's Aegean coast, killing at least two people and injuring more than 100 others, according to reports.

Kos, a Greek island popular with tourists, appears to have been the area hardest-hit by the earthquake. Both of the confirmed deaths happened in Kos and at least 120 people have been reported injured, according to the Guardian.

Advertisement

In Turkey, about six miles south of the city of Bodrum, reports indicate at least 70 people have been injured. Turkish officials said that more than 20 aftershocks have.

Despite the deaths and large number of injuries, the earthquake appears to have only caused minor structural damage on Kos.

"The rest of the island has no problem. It's only the main town that has a problem," Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis told state-run Greek media. "The buildings affected were mostly old, and were built before the earthquake building codes were introduced."

We were literally shaken out of our beds from deep sleep," said Tom Riesack, a German tourist staying in Kos with his family. "The whole room was shaking and we fled the room into the open. Thankfully I am staying in a newer hotel that has been built 'earthquake safe'"

Advertisement

In Turkey, water flooded beachfront hotels and hundreds of people gathered in the street for safety, reported the Telegraph.

A Twitter user in Bodrum tweeted a video of people running outside when the earthquake hit.

The USGS reported the initial temblor took place at about 1:30 a.m. Both the USGS and EMSC reported multiple aftershocks since then.

The quake was situated at a shallow 6.2 miles below the seabed.

Latest Headlines