The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Friday, November 22, 2013

Latvia store collapse..[ 3180 ]


Latvia store collapse: Deaths rise as Riga rescue continues

Riga resident Gatis Smagars: "Bags of soil and cobblestones piled on roof"
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BBC /   22 November 2013 Last updated at 14:35 GMT



At least 45 people have been killed when the roof of a supermarket collapsed in the Latvian capital Riga.
Rescue efforts are continuing and police have launched a criminal investigation.
Three of those killed were emergency workers who were helping people trapped when more of the roof came down.
The number of deaths makes this the former Soviet republic's worst disaster since the country became independent in 1991.
Police say they expect the number to rise further.
It is unclear how many more people could still be inside.

Relatives were being asked to help find victims by ringing their phones
The cause of the collapse is unclear although reports say a garden was being constructed on the roof at the time.
British pilot Paul Tribble, 27, was shopping in the store with his partner Elizabeth when the roof fell in.
"I was taken down by shelving falling on me, which skimmed my shoulder and forced me to the ground but I was still able to move," he told the BBC.
"There were torrents of water coming down off the roof. We headed into the back of the supermarket, the aisles were covered in produce and concrete and people lying on the floor."
Mr Tribble said a crane had been loading sand and building materials onto the roof for the past few weeks. He said he believed a lack of drainage following heavy rains had contributed to the fall.
"The police have started the investigation already," said Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis after visiting the scene.
"The criminal process has started about violating building standards."
Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis told Latvian TV it was "clear" there had been a problem meeting building regulations.

Scene of supermarket collapse in Riga. 22 Nov 2013  
The store was said to have been busy when the roof fell in
Shelves can been seen inside the store in this photograph taken in the immediate hours after the roof collapsed in Riga  
This photo was taken in the immediate aftermath of the collapse by a local resident
People wait for news at the scene where the Maxima supermarket roof collapsed in Riga on November 22, 2013. People have been waiting for news at the scene
Rescuers search for survivors at the scene where the Maxima supermarket roof collapsed in Riga on November 22, 2013  
A view from a nearby building revealed the extent of the damage
Latvian rescue services spokeswoman Viktorija Sembele said three firefighters were among those killed.
"We do not know the number of people who are still inside," she told the BBC.
She said people were being asked to call the mobile phones of relatives feared missing to help rescuers find them in the rubble.
More than 34 people were injured, 28 of whom were treated in hospital.
TV footage showed rescue workers using mechanical cutters to clear debris from the single-storey concrete and glass building. Cranes were brought in to remove slabs of concrete.
More than 60 soldiers were helping the rescue effort, the army said on its official Twitter feed.
The initial collapse happened just before 18:00 (16:00 GMT) on Thursday, when the store was busy with customers.
Walls and windows also crumbled, leaving the shell of the building piled with rubble, witnesses said.
About 20 minutes later another part of the roof caved in, trapping rescue workers who were trying to reach survivors.
Dangerous work The rescue services believe a total of about 500sq m (5,300sq ft) of roof caved in, according to reports.
Witnesses said customers tried to run out after the first part of the roof collapsed but the supermarket's electronic doors closed, trapping them inside.
Leta news agency said the collapse represented the largest loss of life from a disaster since the restoration of independence in 1991, worse than a fire at a nursing home in 2007 that killed 25.

sat map
Normunds Plegermanis, deputy head of rescue services, said emergency teams faced difficult conditions at the supermarket.
"Falls are happening from time to time... it is very dangerous to work inside," he said.
Local media said the store, part of the Maxima retail chain, had been awarded a national architecture prize when it was completed in 2011.
The reason for the collapse is not known. Some have blamed the weight of soil being used to plant a winter garden on the supermarket's roof.
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