About two months have passed since the Ionian island of Kefalonia was struck by earthquakes, on the 26th of January and the 2nd of February, and the local residents are still trying to restore the damages they suffered and return to a normal everyday life.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, a total of 2079 building inspections have been carried from the earthquake victim support services (YAS), of which 1460 were given the “all clear”, 1441 will require repairs before being used again and a 178 must be knocked down.
Of the 570 applications for rent assistance, 135 have so far been examined and approved. A further 48 applications for small-scale repairs and 29 for large-scale have been submitted. The municipality of Kefalonia has subsidized 1,546 households with an average of 2,000 euros each.
The school buildings in Argostoli and Lixouri suffered serious damages in the earthquakes, which resulted in teaching being conducted in prefabricated buildings. A total of 75 prefabricated rooms have been sent to the island to cover the needs of the 4 schools, with more expected soon to cover school needs.
Meanwhile, the damages of the port in Paliki will be repaired in two phases, with the first one involving the restoration of the ferry boat ramps, with an estimated cost of 660,000 euros. The second phase of repairs will take place after the summer tourist season.
The island’s road network also suffered extensive damages in the earthquake due to landslides and rock falls. The Ministry of Infrastructure plans to appoint contractors for the repairs by the end of April so that the roads may be restored by the summer. Likewise, the island’s water supply and sewage network were damaged, so EYDAP is closely monitoring the quality of drinking water.
Aside from the damage to buildings and property though, the earthquake affected many local businesses. To that end the government announced a series of tax breaks, benefits and deferments in order to support the island’s economy.
