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CROATIA-EARTHQUAKE
New tremors shake Croatia after deadly quake
PETRINJA, Croatia, Dec 30, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Fresh tremors shook Croatia on
Wednesday as the Adriatic country was still picking up the pieces of a deadly
earthquake that claimed seven lives and reduced buildings to rubble the day
before.
The aftershocks jangled nerves in towns south of Zagreb where Tuesday’s
6.4-magnitude quake left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under
mountains of bricks.
Many in and around the the hard-hit town of Petrinja spent a sleepless
night in fear of new tremors, with some opting to pass the night in cars or
shelter in a nearby military barracks.
“We spent the night in the car with our children, as did our inlaws in
theirs. Our house is gone, it’s all cracked inside, we can’t be there
anymore”, a young woman from the small village of Majske Poljane, where five
were killed, told regional broadcaster N1.
The dead also included a young girl who was struck dead by falling debris
on a street in Petrinja, and another man who was buried beneath rubble in a
nearby village church, a priest told state news agency HINA.
Wednesday morning’s 4.8 and 4.7 magnitude aftershocks rattled the region
before dawn, striking near the same epicentre 50 kilometres (30 miles) south
of Zagreb, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Rescue teams with dogs had spent the night scouring ruins in the area, but
no new victims were found by the mountain rescue service, the organisation’s
chief Josip Granic told reporters.
At least 20 people were injured, Croatian police said, while six were
rescued alive Tuesday from the wreckage with the help of dogs.
– EU aid –
The European Union’s crisis management chief, Janez Lenarcic, was due to
visit Petrinja on Wednesday as the bloc prepared aid for its member state.
“At the moment, mostly winter tents, electric heaters, sleeping beds and
sleeping bags are needed as well as housing containers”, Lenarcic wrote on
Twitter.
Parts of Petrinja and the nearby town Sisak were still without electricity
Wednesday morning.
Tuesday’s major quake rocked homes, schools and other buildings in central
Croatia that were already weakened by a moderate tremor a day earlier on
Monday.
The Balkans lie near fault lines and see regular seismic activity.
Pope Francis expressed sympathy on Wednesday for the injured and for “those
who have lost their lives and for their families” in Croatia, a mainly
Catholic country.
“I hope that the authorities of the country, with the help of the
international community, will soon be able to alleviate the suffering of the
dear Croatian people”.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1715 hrs