WRECKED VILLAGE: VILLAGERS CLEARING WRECKAGE: VILLAGES LEAVING HOMES.




Initials GEM/VS/MR/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE GREEK GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE EVRITANIA AREA OF CENTRAL GREECE AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE RUINED ABOUT 1,000 HOMES IN 10 VILLAGES.

THE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK BEFORE DAWN. ONE WOMAN AS REPORTED DEAD IN THE TUMBLED WRECKAGE OF THE VILLAGES, BUT THERE ARE FEARS THAT MORE CASUALTIES WILL BE DISCOVERED ONCE RESCUERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ROADS BURIED IN SNOW. AN ESTIMATED 4,000 PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS.

SOON AFTER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, TROOPS AND RESCUE TEAMS WERE MOVED INTO THE AREA. KING CONSTANTINE AND QUEEN ANNE-MARIE ALSO FLEW TO EVRITANIA TO HELP COMFORT THE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES SHIVERING IN STRAW HUTS, TENTS AND ROUGH SHELTERS IN TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING.

MANY OF THEM HAD SALVAGED WHAT THEY COULD FORM THE RUBBLE . BUT AS THEY WORKED DURING THE DAY, VILLAGERS WERE HAMPERED BY CONTINUOUS TREMORS THAT FOLLOWED THE PRE-DAWN EARTHQUAKE.