24 July 2017 Insurance

M6.7 earthquake hits major tourist destinations in Greece and Turkey

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Eastern Mediterranean at 22:31 UTC on July 20, 2017, impacting the Greek island of Kos and the Turkish city of Bodrum, along with numerous coastal towns in Turkey.

It has caused extensive damage to older buildings on Kos, and has led to a number of broken water mains, gas leaks and downed power lines in the coastal towns of Turkey.

The United States Geological Survey recorded the depth at 10.0 km, and officials recorded at least 20 aftershocks, according to AIR Worldwide.

Around 115 people were injured and two died on Kos, and a further 358 were hurt in Bodrum, according to the BBC.

The earthquake comes in the wake of several temblors at Plomarion, Greece of up to magnitude 5.5 this year and a 6.3 that struck on June 12, impacting the islands of Lesbos and Chios.

AIR suggested that structures in this region are generally vulnerable to earthquake shaking; buildings of reinforced concrete and reinforced/confined masonry construction are the most common in the area, and are typically low- or mid-rise.

Recent earthquakes have resulted in secondary hazards, such as landslides, which can contribute to losses.

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