Around 180 Zagreb residents accommodated in student dorm after quake

(Photo: HINA/ Tomislav PAVLEK)

ZAGREB, March 24 (Hina) – About 180 Zagreb residents are currently temporarily staying at the Cvjetno Naselje student dorm after losing their homes in the earthquake that struck Zagreb on Sunday, Zagreb Student Centre director Mirko Bosnjak told Hina on Tuesday.

“We have about 180 people here now. However, that number is fluctuating as some people are leaving because their status has been resolved in the meantime,” he added.

Citizens are continually arriving, which he believes is the result of their buildings being inspected by statics experts.

If the statics experts decide that their building is not fit for use, then residents have to find a solution; as an individual building is assessed, the number of citizens being left without a roof over their heads is increasing, he said.

He added that all those students who had to do so had vacated the dorm.

“We’ve put all our capacities to use, depending on the needs and instructions by the national civil protection authority,” he explained.

The dormitory can cater for up to 1,600 people who have been affected by the earthquake and are not in self-isolation due to the coronavirus. They can remain in the dormitory until their homes have been repaired and declared fit for use.

Mayor Milan Bandic declared a state of natural disaster on Monday for Zagreb and its environs. The crisis management office has received more than 5,000 requests for swift damage assessments.