On September 7, 1999, Athens experienced a catastrophic earthquake. The event resulted in the loss of 143 lives, with 700 people sustaining injuries, and extensive damage to 70,000 buildings.
The 1999 Athens earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.0, occurred at 2:56:50pm local time, 11:56 GMT, and lasted for several seconds in the region of Ano Liosia. The earthquake's epicenter was located about 17km northwest of the city center, in an area with low population density between the working-class town of Achanes and Mount Parnitha National Park.
The highest recorded peak ground acceleration was 0.3g, occurring 15 kilometers from the epicenter, with predictions indicating 0.6g acceleration at the center. The event caught Greek seismologists off guard because it originated from a previously unknown fault in an area that had long been considered to have low seismic activity.
Numerous buildings, including three major factories, collapsed in these areas, trapping many people under the debris, while dozens of other structures were severely affected. This earthquake was Greece's deadliest natural disaster in nearly 50 years and the most devastating and costly natural disaster to strike Greece in nearly two decades.
The Acropolis of Athens and the other renowned ancient monuments in the city emerged from the catastrophe either completely undamaged or with only minor harm. Along the road to the summit of Mount Parnitha, there were reports of a landslide and several cracks. Additionally, there were reports of minor damage to the water and waste networks near the epicenter. The total cost of the damage was estimated at $3–4.2 billion.
Sources: greekcitytimes.com, en.wikipedia.org, ekathimerini.com, sciencedirect.com
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