New tremors shake Croatia after deadly quake

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Tomislav Suknaic poses in front of his destroyed house in the village of Majske Poljane, where 5 people died, some 50kms from Zagreb on December 30, 2020, a day after the region was hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake. – Fresh tremors shook Croatia on on December 30, 2020 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 the quake left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under mountains of bricks. (Photo by Damir SENCAR / AFP)

by Lajla VESELICA
Agence France Presse

PETRINJA, Croatia (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 series of aftershocks jangled nerves in towns south of Zagreb where Tuesday’s major 6.4-magnitude flattened village homes, left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under mountains of bricks.

Many in and around the hard-hit town of Petrinja spent a sleepless night in fear of new tremors, with some opting to stay in their cars or shelter in a nearby military barracks.

“We go inside to quickly grab what we need and we return here,” said Visnja, a 66-year-old sitting around a fire outside her home in Petrinja after sleeping in a car.

Sinisa Sremic, a 53-year-old in the town of 20,000, passed the night in a sleeping bag.

“My flat is completely turned upside down. It still has no electricity, all the food in my fridge will be wasted,” he told AFP.

A damaged house is seen in Petrinja, some 50kms from Zagreb, after the town was hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake on December 30, 2020. – Fresh tremors shook Croatia on on December 30, 2020 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 the quake left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under mountains of bricks. (Photo by Damir SENCAR / AFP)
Vasilj Kukoleca shows his damaged house in the village of Majske Poljane, where 5 people died, some 50kms from Zagreb on December 30, 2020, a day after the region was hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake. – Fresh tremors shook Croatia on on December 30, 2020 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 the quake left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under mountains of bricks. (Photo by Damir SENCAR / AFP)

In the nearby village of Majske Poljane, five were killed by the quake that mangled homes and farm buildings.

Tuesday’s dead also included young girl who was struck 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.

Rescue teams with dogs 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 at least six were rescued alive Tuesday from the wreckage.

Picture taken on December 30, 2020 shows the rubble of a destroyed building in the village of Majske Poljane, where 5 people died, some 50kms from Zagreb, a day after the region was hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake. – Fresh tremors shook Croatia on on December 30, 2020 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 the quake left gaping holes in buildings and crushed cars under mountains of bricks. (Photo by Damir SENCAR / AFP)

– 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.

Homes, schools and other buildings in the area had already been weakened by a moderate tremor on Monday.

The Balkans lie near fault lines and see regular seismic activity.

The Catholic Church’s Pope Francis expressed sympathy for the injured and for “those who have lost their lives and for their families” in Croatia, a mainly Catholic country.


© Agence France-Presse