No Reports of Serious Injury or Damage, Government Spokesperson Petsas says
In an announcement at the Maximos Mansion following the 5.1-Richter earthquake that shook the Attica region on Friday afternoon, government spokesperson Stelios Petsas said that there were no reports of serious injuries or damage so far. The only major damage involved an old residence in Piraeus district of Drapetsona and an abandoned house in Athens' Petralona district, as well as the fall of building facades in the western Athens suburb of Egaleo and in Drapetsona, he said. The fire brigade has received calls to rescue people trapped in lifts while mobile phone networks experienced temporary problems due to an overloading of the network, the spokesperson reported. He noted that Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis and Secretary General for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias have been at the emergency coordinating centre from the first moment, while the prime minister is being briefed on developments at his office. Petsas added that the Armed Forces are on standby, if and when they are needed, while urging the public to stay informed and noting that Greece is "well-acquainted" with earthquakes.