Seven injured in earthquake on Greek island of Kefalonia Western Greek island experiences 6.1-magnitude quake with dozens of aftershocks, and it is unclear whether worse is to come Share160 inShare 2 Email Associated Press theguardian.com, Monday 27 January 2014 15.08 GMT

Seven injured in earthquake on Greek island of Kefalonia

Western Greek island experiences 6.1-magnitude quake with dozens of aftershocks, and it is unclear whether worse is to come

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• theguardian.com, Monday 27 January 2014 15.08 GMT

Supermarket damaged by the earthquakes on Kefalonia, western Greece. Schools have been closed and a state of emergency has been declared. Photograph: AP

Schools were ordered to close and a state of emergency was declared on the Greek island of Kefalonia on Monday after an earthquake damaged homes and injured at least seven people.

Hundreds of the island's residents slept in their cars after a quake listed by the US Geological Survey as having 6.1 magnitude struck near the town of Lixouri on the western Greek island on Sunday, and was followed by dozens of aftershocks.

Seismologists noted it was too soon to tell whether the Sunday quake, was the main earthquake or whether a stronger one is to come.

"We need 48 hours to say with 99% certainty that this was the main quake," Thanassis Ganas, head of research at the Athens Geodynamic Institute, said on Skai television. He added, however, that the situation after the quake appeared to be as well as could be expected, and that multiple aftershocks were normal and expected.

Kefalonia and nearby Zakinthos and Ithaki were devastated by massiveearthquakes in 1953, levelling nearly all the buildings on the islands, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands. Structures built since then have been designed to strict anti-seismic specifications.

Ganas said the quakes on Sunday and Monday were not created by the same fault as those of 1953.

Local officials said two ferries were on the way to the island on Monday to provide accommodation for residents whose homes were damaged.

"There is damage but thankfully the island withstood" the quake, said the interior minister, Yannis Mihelakis, who arrived there shortly after the quake to review damage. Rockslides left some roads on the island shut and many homes and stores have suffered cracks and broken windows.

Earthquakes are common throughout Greece, but the vast majority are small and cause no injuries or damage.    A P.        THE GUARDIAN