Earthquake, 18 March 1926

[Administrator]

The earthquake which rocked Castellorizo during the afternoon of 18 March 1926 was a deeply traumatic event for the islanders. While there were only 4 fatalities (Maria Agapitou Kelletsi (8), Mihail Ioannou Poullis (17), Eleni Yeorgiou Stambolli (25) and Asimina Nikolaou Nisyriou (65)), the event was to leave a lasting imprint on the collective memory of the island's community.

Here is a photograph of a group of young men amidst the ruins of a house taken in the aftermath of the earthquake:



_{In the middle stands Michalis Christ. Konstandinou (holding his hat). At rear, is Yeorgios Anast. Papanastasiou (leaning on elbow) and in the right foreground is Ioannis Mihail Stamatoglou (with hand on knee). Any other names would be appreciated.}

130 houses were destroyed and another 231 seriously damaged by the quake, according to contemporary Italian reports. There was also significant damage to Castellorizian properties in Myra and Antifilo (9 fatalities), Finika (15 fatalities) and Fethiye (Makri). A larger earthquake that hit Rhodes on 26 June of that year caused further damage and delayed the relief effort significantly.

It would be good to hear any stories of the impact caused by the earthquake on Castellorizian families. I recall my own grandmother measuring time by references to the earthquake ('itane prin/meta ton seismon') and I am sure others will have other stories to relate about this significant event in the island's twentieth century history.

Nicholas,
Sydney

[evdokia]

My mother Chrisanthi Koutsoukos - nee Samiotis was about 17 or 18 years old at the time. She would talk about it often. Her mother was (nee)Katerna (Ekaterina) tou Yiallori. Her mother's younger sister Kiafiri Yiallouri was one of the many injured in the earthquake (Sismo). I remember as a child the massive scar she had down the side of her face where her cheek was torn open. As the medical care was limited, they wrapped her head and face in bed sheets to try and rejoin the massive wound. I recollect mum talking of them using Faskomillia (Sage) because of its medicinal antibiotic values.
Evdokia Koutsoukos

[Administrator]

The earthquake was reported widely in the Italian press of the day. Here is an extract from 'Il Mattino Illustrato' (vol III, no. 15) which was published in Naples.



The image to the left shows the density of the housing on the Kavos peninsula prior to the Second World War. The image to the right shows some of the destruction along the waterfront (the first single storey building on the right is the current bank).

Nicholas

[ruela]

The second from the left, with the hat and the umbrella(?) is Georgios Loukas, my grandmother's father.

[Administrator]

Here is another previously unpublished shot of the aftermath of the quake:



Fifth from right in the top row is the then governor, Salvatore Tringali. At far right, in uniform, is municipal policeman Eleftherios Kaperonis.

Nicholas

[Administrator]

Here is another shot of the aftermath of the earthquake, this time of the quay area hardest hit by the devastation.

Nicholas

Attachments:

[Administrator]

A great deal of reconstruction was required in the aftermath of the earthquake. With the aid of relief workers despatched by the Italian regime from Rhodes and even Rome, homes were slowly restored in a vast communal effort for the small island.

Here is an image of relief workers reconstructing a destroyed home:



Nicholas

[Administrator]

The destruction extended to the outskirts of the town. Here is an image of some of the housing behind the Horafia which was seriously damaged by the quake.



Nicholas

[Administrator]

To assist in the relief effort, a company of fascist 'blackshirts' was transported to the island. They were photographed at the gates leading into the cathedral and schools precinct:



Nicholas