The epicenter of the earthquake, which took place around 1:30 p.m. at a depth of 10 kilometers, was located about fifty kilometers north of the capital, Zagreb.
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Le Monde avec AFP
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Croatia on Tuesday, December 29, causing buildings to collapse in the city of Petrinja, in the center of the country, announced the American Geophysical Institute (USGS).
The epicenter of the quake, which took place around 1:30 p.m., at a depth of 10 kilometers, was located about fifty kilometers southeast of Zagreb, where panicked residents rushed into the streets.
“We are currently removing people from the rubble, we still do not know if there are dead or injured,” Petrinja mayor Darinko Dumbovic told a local television station. “There is general panic, everyone is trying to find out the fate of their loved ones,” he added. Images of the town, which has a population of nearly 20,000, showed collapsed roofs and streets littered with bricks and other debris.
Situacija u Petrinji. https://t.co/EK63mcVofC
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The helpers intervened very quickly in the city, where the army was also deployed. Rescue workers and soldiers were looking for any victims trapped under the rubble. Electricity was cut in the city center.
On Monday, a smaller earthquake had already struck the same area, causing only minor property damage. The Balkans are an area of high seismic activity, and earthquakes are frequent.