Powerful Quake in Greece Kills 8, Injures 300

A powerful earthquake toppled buildings and damaged hundreds of homes here Saturday, killing at least eight people, injuring 300 and sending panicked residents fleeing into the streets.

The government declared a state of emergency and began airlifting medical supplies and tents to this port city of 80,000 in the Peloponnesus region 110 miles southwest of Athens.

The earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, struck at 10:27 p.m. and was followed three hours later by a temblor with a 5.4 magnitude, the Athens Seismological Institute said. Both were centered in the Ionian Sea. Aftershocks rattled the city through the night.

“There is confusion and panic in the streets,” a police spokesman said. “The parks are full of crowds of men, women and children afraid to stay near buildings in case of another earthquake. No one is indoors. The whole city is outside.”

Kalamata’s main power transformer was destroyed, plunging the city into darkness.

The first quake collapsed many older homes and a five-story apartment building. Eight people were found dead in the debris of the apartment building, and 20 are believed to be trapped in the ruins.

“Rescue workers managed to drag three young children out of the rubble of a collapsed old house,” a police spokesman said.

About 300 people were injured, 70 of them seriously, state-run Athens radio reported.

The earthquake damaged hundreds of buildings. The only hospital was so badly damaged it had to be evacuated. The injured were being taken to Athens for treatment.

Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou headed for the quake-stricken region early today to “get a picture of the situation for himself,” a spokesman said.