Aftershocks have jolted central Croatia, a day after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed a minimum of seven individuals, injured dozens, and left several cities and villages in ruins.
The strongest 4.7-magnitude tremor was recorded close to the heavily damaged city of Petrinja, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) south-east of the capital Zagreb.
Many individuals had spent the night in tents, their vehicles, or army barracks.
Neven Pavkovic, a resident, stated the aftershocks kept him awake, adding: “It was a tough night, I slept maybe half an hour.”
Within the hard-hit village of Majske Poljane, the place 5 individuals died, a little boy could be seen sleeping in a van on a chilly morning.
Sobbing villagers stated they acquired blankets, meals and different help however have no idea what they are going to do next.
The rain that fell overnight turned the dust from the rubble into the mud, adding to the hardship.
“We will say ‘good morning’, it’s not good,” Petrinja mayor Darinko Dumbovic informed Croatian radio.
“We had the third and fourth tremors this morning, quick ones but strong. What hasn’t fallen off before is falling now from the ruins of Petrinja.”
“Worry has crept into individuals,” he stated.
Pope Francis prayed for the victims.
At the finish of his weekly audience, he stated: “I significantly pray for individuals who died and for their families.”
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic stated the government will declare Saturday a day of nationwide mourning.
As the government abolished a travel ban between counties that was imposed during the holidays due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Plenkovic appealed for respect for other measures.
“We’re still fighting Covid-19, it wouldn’t be good to relax now,” Mr Plenkovic stated at a government session.
Rescuers spent the night time looking through the rubble of heavily damaged buildings for possible survivors.
Officials stated a 12-year-old girl died in Petrinja, a town of some 25,000 individuals.
No less than 26 individuals had been admitted to the hospital with accidents.
Tuesday’s quake, the strongest in Croatia since the introduction of the modern seismic measurement system, was felt all through the area, together with neighboring Bosnia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
The central Croatian region was also struck by a 5.2 earthquake on Monday.
