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Albania earthquake: at least six dead and hundreds injured Albania earthquake: at least seven dead and hundreds injured
(about 1 hour later)
Magnitude 6.4 quake struck at shallow depth, causing buildings to collapse in Tirana and nearby towns Magnitude 6.4 quake strikes at shallow depth, bringing down buildings in Tirana and nearby
At least six people have died and 300 people have been injured after the most powerful earthquake to hit Albania in decades rocked the capital, Tirana, and surrounding region, causing several buildings to collapse and burying residents in the rubble. At least seven people have died and 300 people have been injured after the most powerful earthquake to hit Albania in decades rocked the capital, Tirana, and surrounding region, causing several buildings to collapse and burying residents in the rubble.
The 6.4-magnitude quake struck shortly before 4am local time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, the second powerful tremor to hit the region in two months. It was centred 19 miles west of Tirana, at a shallow depth of six miles. Scores of aftershocks included three with preliminary magnitudes of between 5.1 and 5.4. The 6.4-magnitude quake struck shortly before 4am local time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, the second powerful tremor to hit the region in two months. It was centred 19 miles west of Tirana, at a shallow depth of 12.4 miles. Scores of aftershocks included three with preliminary magnitudes of between 5.1 and 5.4.
Albanian president Ilir Meta said the situation in the town of Thumane, closest to the epicentre, was very dramatic. “All efforts are being made to take the people out of the ruins,” he said, and called on the cabinet to request international assistance. Neighbouring countries, the European Union and the United States have all offered immediate support. In nearby Bosnia, another quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 struck south-east of the capital and rattled Sarajevo. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The defence ministry said at least six people had died, including two women who were found in the rubble of an apartment building in the northern village of Thumane, and a man who died in the town of Kurbin after jumping out of a building. Three people died in in the western port city of Durres, 20 miles from Tirana, including two whose bodies were taken out of a collapsed building. The Albanian president, Ilir Meta, said the situation in the town of Thumanë, closest to the epicentre, was very dramatic. “All efforts are being made to take the people out of the ruins,” he said, and called on the cabinet to request international assistance. Neighbouring countries, the European Union and the United States have all offered immediate support.
Emergency workers told local media one of those killed in Durres was an elderly woman who had managed to save her grandson by shielding him with her body. At least seven people have died, including two women who were found in the rubble of an apartment building in Thumanë, and a man who died in the town of Kurbin after jumping out of a building.
The health minister, Ogerta Manastirliu, said 300 injured people had been treated in Durres, Tirana and Thumane, with more arriving in hospitals. Three people died in the western port city of Durrës, 20 miles from Tirana, including two whose bodies were taken out of a collapsed building. Emergency workers told local media one of those killed in Durrës was an elderly woman who had managed to save her grandson by shielding him with her body.
All government agencies are on alert and “intensively working to save lives at the fatal spots in Durres and Thumane,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said. “It is a dramatic moment where we should preserve calm, stay alongside each other to cope with this shock,” he wrote on his Facebook page. Another victim died in an accident on a road cut off by debris in north-western Lezha.
Unverified video footage posted on social media showed what appeared to be a collapsed building in Durres. Other footage showed buildings with large cracks and fallen masonry, including one apartment with most of a bedroom wall missing. The health minister, Ogerta Manastirliu, said 300 injured people had been treated in Durrës, Tirana and Thumanë, with more arriving in hospitals.
“Firefighters and army staff are helping residents (caught) under the rubble,” in Durres and the nearby village of Thumane, a defence ministry spokeswoman told reporters. All government agencies are on alert and “intensively working to save lives at the fatal spots in Durrës and Thumanë”, the prime minister, Edi Rama, said. “It is a dramatic moment where we should preserve calm, stay alongside each other to cope with this shock,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
An unidentified man, with a wound dressing on his right cheek, told News24 TV his daughter and niece were among those trapped in a collapsed apartment building in Durres. Unverified video footage posted on social media showed what appeared to be a collapsed building in Durrës. Other footage showed buildings with large cracks and fallen masonry, including one apartment with most of a bedroom wall missing.
“I talked with my daughter and niece on the phone. They said they are well and are waiting for the rescue. Could not talk to my wife. There are other families, but I could not talk to them,” the man said. “Firefighters and army staff are helping residents [caught] under the rubble” in Durrës and Thumanë, a defence ministry spokeswoman told reporters.
Two government spokesmen told Reuters the greatest damage to buildings was in Durres and a few people had been taken to hospital in Tirana. An unidentified man, with a wound dressing on his right cheek, told News24 TV his daughter and niece were among those trapped in a collapsed apartment building in Durrës.
“I talked with my daughter and niece on the phone. They said they are well and are waiting for the rescue. I could not talk to my wife. There are other families, but I could not talk to them,” the man said.
Two government spokesmen told Reuters the greatest damage to buildings was in Durrës and a few people had been taken to hospital in Tirana.
A witness described residents fleeing apartment buildings in Tirana, some carrying babies. Power was down in several neighbourhoods.A witness described residents fleeing apartment buildings in Tirana, some carrying babies. Power was down in several neighbourhoods.
Three hours after the main tremor, a strong aftershock rocked the city, which is known for its colourful mix of architectural styles from its Ottoman, Fascist and Soviet past.Three hours after the main tremor, a strong aftershock rocked the city, which is known for its colourful mix of architectural styles from its Ottoman, Fascist and Soviet past.
Several smaller tremors were recorded in the hour before the main quake, which was also felt across the Balkans and in the southern Italian region of Puglia.Several smaller tremors were recorded in the hour before the main quake, which was also felt across the Balkans and in the southern Italian region of Puglia.
“We were awake because of the previous quakes, but the last one shook us around. Everything at home kept falling down,” Refik, a Tirana resident, told Reuters of what happened in his sixth-floor apartment.“We were awake because of the previous quakes, but the last one shook us around. Everything at home kept falling down,” Refik, a Tirana resident, told Reuters of what happened in his sixth-floor apartment.
Located along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, between Greece and Macedonia, Albania experiences regular seismic activity. A 5.6-earthquake shook the country on 21 September, damaging about 500 houses and destroying some. The defence ministry said it was the most powerful quake in Albania in the last 30 years. Albania experiences regular seismic activity. A 5.6-earthquake shook the country on 21 September, damaging about 500 houses and destroying some. The defence ministry said the latest quake was the most powerful in Albania in the last 30 years.
The images of collapsed or semi-collapsed buildings in urban areas suggested Tuesday’s quake was more powerful than one in 1979 that razed a neighbourhood of the northern town of Shkoder, bordering Montenegro. Neither of those two earlier earthquakes caused any fatalities. The images of collapsed or semi-collapsed buildings in urban areas suggested Tuesday’s quake was more powerful than one in 1979 that razed a neighbourhood of the northern town of Shkodër, bordering Montenegro. Neither of those two earlier earthquakes caused any deaths.
The Balkan country is the poorest in Europe, with an average income of less than a third of the European Union average, according to Eurostat data.The Balkan country is the poorest in Europe, with an average income of less than a third of the European Union average, according to Eurostat data.