Government spokesperson states there are no reports of serious injury or damage following Earthquake

Following the earthquake that shook Athens earlier today, a government spokesperson, Stelios Petsas, stated that there are currently no reports of serious injuries or damages.

The only reports of damage involve an old residence in the Piraeus district, an abandoned house in the suburb of Petralona, uninhabited houses in Egaleo and an old building located at 90 Ermou Street, which collapsed without causing any injuries.

Mobile phone networks are currently experiencing temporary problems due to an overloading of the network.

Armed forces are on standby, if and when they are needed, however Petsas noted that Greece is “well-acquainted” with earthquakes.

The Civil Protection Central Coordination Body will convene at the Fire Brigade’s Operations Coordinating Centre in Athens, to review the situation and plan the action of the agencies involved.

The featured image in the article shows damage to the bell tower at the church of Pantanassa at Monastiraki Square.

The last major earthquake in Athens occurred in 1999, when 143 people were killed and numerous buildings collapsed or were seriously damaged.

Update:

You can keep yourself updated with the latest reports regarding the earthquake here.

If this was your first time experiencing an earthquake, you should read this information which informs you on what to do before, during and after a major earthquake.

*Photo credit- Reuters