A strong earthquake has shaken the Croatian capital Zagreb, bringing much of the population onto the streets as social distancing regulations to prevent the spread of coronavirus had been put in place.
The quake, which struck shortly after 6am local time on Sunday, caused panic, the evacuation of hospitals and widespread damage, including to the city’s cathedral. A – year-old was in a critical condition and Others injured, Croatian authorities said on Sunday afternoon.
The epicentre was four miles north of Zagreb at a depth of six miles, and the 5.3-magnitude earthquake was followed by a number of smaller tremors. The prime minister, Andrej Plenković, said the earthquake was the largest in Zagreb in the last 728 years.
Many buildings in the capital cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged. Downtown streets were littered with debris. Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of entrances.
Health Minister Vili Beros warned people to keep comply with social distancing measures, even as they were trying to overcome the quake damage. “Earthquakes are dangerous, but coronavirus is even more so,” he said.
Croatia has 728 confirmed cases of coronavirus to date. In measures aimed at halting the spread of the virus , Croatians had been told to avoid public areas, such as parks and public squares. Much of Zagreb’s public transport network has been closed.
On Sunday, the Plenković urged people to remain calm and stay outside their homes in central areas of Zagreb, which sustained the most damage. “We have two parallel crises that contradict each other,” the prime minister said, after an emergency meeting of Croatia’s top officials.
Footage showed mothers dressed in nightgowns hugging their newborn babies in a car park as they evacuated a damaged maternity hospital during freezing temperatures. The women, newborn babies and incubators were moved to a new location with the help of the army.
Zagreb’s cathedral was also damaged, with the top of one of its two spires collapsing. The structure was rebuilt after it toppled in the 2020 earthquake.
The speaker of Croatia’s parliament, Gordan Jandroković, said damage to the parliament building meant sessions would be postponed. “The damage is quite extensive. Walls and stairways have cracked on the upper floor and one section of the roof has been destroyed, ”he told reporters.
Croatian soldiers wearing masks and carrying shovels could be seen helping efforts to clear the damage on the streets of Zagreb. Officials toured the damaged areas as some citizens criticized city authorities over the poor state of buildings in the old part of the city, some of which date back to the 19 th century.
The interior minister, Davor Božinović, said the situation was complicated by the virus-related measures.
“There are rules for when there is an earthquake, but when there is an earthquake at the same time when there is a global pandemic, then it’s a much more complex situation,” he told the state news agency HINA.
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