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Lack of coordination on Cephalonia

Citizens nerves are frayed as a little before 04.00 am the island was hit by a 3.8 quake, adding to the intense aftershock activity that has made people abandon their homes, especially in Lixouri. So far the state apparatus has proved unable to rise to the occasion, despite the intense mobilization, as coordination is basically non-existent.

There has been no substantive support according to citizens' accusations. Characteristic of the lack of coordination is the fact that in the camp set up for citizens in the stadium at Agios Antonios, outside Lixouri, the Army has set up a generator, but no one thought to bring extension cords, and thus tents remain without electricity and therefore cannot be heated. Thus of the 50 tents no more than 3 were used, with most people choosing to spend the night in cars. And then... it started to rain.

The coordination center, on Cephalonia, has so far received around 6,000 requests for engineering inspections of buildings, and staff is certain some requests are duplicates that could not be avoided because of the chaos among authorities.

Engineers, despite the large number already on the island, are swamped and the many aftershocks necessitate re-checks. Final inspections will probably have to be made when tremor activity significantly dies down.

Containers have already been positioned on the island to serve as classrooms for Cephalonia's schoolchildren.

Local merchants and professionals met on Thursday evening for a first damage assessment of the island's commercial infrastructure.