MOSCOW/BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2020) A magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocked Croatia on Tuesday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
The earthquake was registered at 11:19 GMT. Its epicenter was located 46 kilometers (28.5 miles) away from the Croatian capital of Zagreb, at the depth of 10 kilometers.
The Croatian authorities have dispatched aid to the hardest-hit city of Petrinja.
"We urge all citizens to go out into the open space if possible and move away from buildings that are in danger of collapse, citizens should find load-bearing walls. We urge all radio stations and other media to send instructions in the event of an earthquake," the Interior Ministry wrote on Twitter.
The city authorities called on firefighters and rescuers from all over the country to come to Petrinja, as many houses had been destroyed.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic confirmed the death of a child as a result of the earthquake. There is no other information about the victims yet.
"One girl died, not far from us. The mayor informed us about this. There is no other information about possible victims yet, but at the moment no one can say about this with certainty. All emergency services are already here," Plenkovic, who arrived in the affected region, said.
According to the city authorities, the girl was 12 years old.
There are many people believed to be trapped under the debris, while many are being retrieved from their cars by the rescuers.
Zagreb has also reported destruction, traffic jams and internet disruptions.
In the meantime, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has expressed the bloc's readiness to help Croatia.
"After another powerful earthquake in Croatia, the 2nd in the past 2 days, I spoke with Prime Minister @AndrejPlenkovic again. We are ready to support. I have asked @JanezLenarcic [European Commissioner for Crisis Management] to stand ready to travel to Croatia as soon as the situation allows. We stand with Croatia," von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.
European Council President Charles Michel has also offered support to the people of Croatia, saying that Brussels was closely monitoring the situation in the country.
Following the earthquake in Croatia, the Krsko nuclear power plant in neighboring Slovenia has been shut down as a precautionary measure.
"I can confirm the preventive shutdown," the nuclear power plant's spokeswoman Ida Novak Jerele told the Agence France-Presse news agency.
Jerele did not provide further details.
