Greek island declares state of emergency after quake

The western Greek island of Cephalonia declared a state of emergency Monday, after a 5.8-magnitude quake rattled the Ionian Sea and caused minor damage to buildings and roads, as well as widespread panic. "There are damages, but fortunately the island made it through this test and there are no casualties. There are only seven people lightly injured from falling objects," Interior Minister Yannis Michelakis said after a meeting with local authorities. He said a state of emergency was declared so that civil engineers could conclude checks on buildings, roads and other infrastructure, adding that schools across the island would remain closed. A ferry has already docked at the port of Cephalonia and another is on its way to the island to host residents who fear returning to their homes until safety inspections are concluded. The two ships have a total capacity of 2,000 beds. Local authorities remain on alert as the island continues to be jolted by dozens of aftershocks. Seismologists at the Athens Geodynamic Institute recorded at least 40 aftershocks measuring 3-5.1 on the Richter scale over a period of 16 hours. Constantinos Markopoulos, a professor on seismology, said they would be monitoring the progress of the seismic activity for a week before making conclusions because of the region's seismic history. In 1953, Cephalonia was hit by a 7.2-magnitude quake and strong aftershocks that caused hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and extensive material damage.