Croatia earthquake: Over 2,000 buildings damaged

Petrinja (Screenshot/Croatian Red Cross)

ZAGREB, 1 January (Hina) – More than 2,000 buildings were damaged in a devastating earthquake that struck Sisak-Moslavina County on Tuesday and so far 1,000 inspections have been conducted and more than 5,000 applications for inspection have been submitted.

The fire-fighting station in Sisak is unusable but Sisak firefighters have conducted 2,500 interventions and saved more than 30 people from rubble, during which three firefighters sustained light injuries.

HGSS mountain rescue teams and search dogs managed to locate six people under rubble and two people were found alive.

About one hundred police officers have been deployed to surrounding villages and they warn of reports about the alleged theft of humanitarian aid that has been delivered to the area.

There are about 1,500 civil protection officers from all over Croatia currently stationed in Sisak-Moslavina County.

Structural engineers are in the field inspecting public buildings which need to be put into operation first, the civil protection authority tweeted on Friday.

There are about 100 structural engineers in the field who have conducted 1,000 inspections and more than 5,000 requests for inspection have been received.

The authority said that people who have been sleeping in their cars since the quake struck are being evacuated.

Antigen testing is being organised in makeshift camps that have been erected in Petrinja, Glina, Sisak and Topusko.

Fifteen civilians with critical conditions who have been staying in the Petrinja barracks have been examined and transferred to the hospital in Popovaca. Residents of a nursing home will return to the home, which has been declared as safe.