Greece earthquake – Boy & girl, both 17, crushed to death by falling wall near school after quake rocks Samos & Turkey
A BOY and a girl have been crushed to death by a falling wall near a school after an earthquake hit Greece and Turkey today.
At least 14 people have been killed and hundreds injured as a powerful earthquake and mini-tsunami hit.
Read our Turkey earthquake live blog for the latest news & updates
The two kids were walking home from school in Samos when a wall suddenly collapsed on top of them, according to local media.
Authorities became concerned when the pair failed to arrive at a tutoring centre after school.
They were found unconscious and were rushed to hospital, but they were both later pronounced dead.
The quake‘s epicentre was 11 miles north of the Greek island Samos off the coast of Turkey, a region popular with Brit tourists.
Horrifying pictures show the mass devastation as rescuers desperately search the rubble for survivors after the magnitude-7.0 tremor rocked the coasts and islands around the Aegean Sea.
Izmir, a Turkish city with a population of 4.4 million, bore the brunt of the destruction.
At least 20 buildings collapsed and a mini-tsunami swept through coastal areas which swept a flood of debris – including cars – inland and left fish stranded as it receded.
People were left running for their lives as the massive surge burst through sea defences and turned the streets into raging torrents of salt water.
Rescuers are now facing a race against time to pull anymore survivors buried beneath the rubble of collapsed structures.
At least 70 people have been rescued from under the rubble.
The quake was also felt across the eastern Greek islands, such as Mykonos and Kos, and tsunami warnings were issued to many beachgoers.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said 12 people died, one due to drowning, while 419 people were injured.
Meanwhile, two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were killed when a wall collapsed on the island of Samos.
Turkey’s health ministry said 38 ambulances, two ambulance helicopters and 35 medical rescue teams were working in Izmir.
Some two million foreign tourists visit Izmir every year, according to data from the Aegean Touristic Enterprises and Accommodation Union.
Pictures and video posted on social media show large clouds of dust rising over the city following the earthquake.
Most read in News
Aerial footage on Turkey’s NTV television showed entire city blocks turned to rubble.
Rescuers called for silence as they hunted for any signs of survivors, clearing boulders and other debris in a human chain.
TRT television showed rescuers being helped by residents and police using chainsaws as they tried to force their way through the rubble.