Earthquake shakes Greece, elderly man pulled out of apartment rubble (Photos)

Numerous videos made the rounds of the Greek media showing the first moments of panic when the 6-magnitude earthquake was recorded at a depth of 7.8 km just 14 km north of Larissa.

Three minutes later, a second 4.9-magnitude tremor followed and within 30 minutes two more 4.7, and 4.2 Richter occurred.

After the first tremor, the inhabitants all over Thessaly took to the streets in horror, while the small depth was the reason for the tremors to be felt all over the country, especially in central Greece, in the province of Western Macedonia and even in Balkan countries like Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia of the North and especially in central Albania.

Asked by Top Channel if residents in Albania should be concerned, the well-known seismologist and head of geological studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Costas Papazahos said: They should not worry at all. It is a natural phenomenon, very typical in these cases so there is no, no reason to worry. It is like those shaking of the pegs, which in the beginning is the great shaking, that is, what happened to us and then comes to soften. It is understandable that people there are worried because they have tried and been very afraid of the earthquake then, but it is an earthquake that is very far away, in a seismic plate that has released its dynamism and which can not give an earthquake largest in the area in question.

Authorities meanwhile report dozens of old houses that have collapsed, even churches and schools fortunately with no students inside. There are also rock slides on some secondary roads or bridge damage. For many hours there were problems in the telephone network and water supply.

Officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure, along with a group of engineers ordered by the prime minister, have arrived in the area and a Fire Brigade helicopter has carried out air surveillance to detect the damage.

“It was very unexpected and we were scared. I live on the fifth floor. It was a scary experience. We hope this was the main earthquake “said one woman.

According to seismologists, post-seismic activity will be intense in the coming days. The Larissa Civil Defense has advised residents not to enter old houses, but to spend the night in safe places, while schools will remain closed.

On the other hand it is said that it was fortunate that such a great energy was released without any casualties in an area that gives such earthquakes once in two or three centuries.

Among the first to call the Greek Foreign Minister to offer the necessary assistance to Greece were the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Italy.