Croatia hit by 6.4-magnitude earthquake that killed at least one
Croatia hit by 6.4-magnitude earthquake that killed at least one
The earthquake caused buildings to collapse in the city of Petrinja and a Slovenian nuclear power plant was shut down "as a precaution"
The earth shook in Croatia. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country on Tuesday, causing buildings to collapse in the central city of Petrinja, the US Geological Survey (USGS) announced.
The epicenter of the quake, which took place at about 11:30 GMT, was located about 50 kilometres southeast of Zagreb, where panicked residents rushed to the streets and house tiles fell to the ground, AFP reported. "We have been informed that a girl has died ... we have no information on any other victims," Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told local media on Tuesday, visiting the scene of the disaster.
It's the general panic
"We are currently removing people from the rubble, we still do not know if there are any dead or injured," Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbovic told a local television station. "It's general panic, everyone is trying to find out the fate of their loved ones," he added.
Rescue efforts quickly arrived in the city, where the army was also deployed. Rescuers and military were searching for possible victims trapped under the rubble. Electricity was cut off in the city centre. Images of Petrinja, which has a population of nearly 20,000, showed collapsed roofs and streets littered with bricks and other debris. "I'm afraid, I can't reach anyone at home, the phones don't work anymore," a visibly worried resident told Croatian media.
Slovenian power plant shut down 'as a precaution'
The quake was felt in neighbouring Slovenia, including the capital Ljubljana, as well as in other countries in the region, Hungary and Austria, witnesses and media reported. Slovenia's Krsko nuclear power plant has been shut down "as a precaution."
An area of high seismic activity
On Monday, the day before, a smaller earthquake struck the same area, causing only minor property damage. In March, the capital Zagreb was hit by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake, which caused extensive property damage.
The Balkans are an area of high seismic activity and earthquakes are frequent.
Source:- Flash News and News Agencies