January the 1st, 2021 - The tragic Petrinja earthquake which affected Petrinja, Glina, Sisak and other surrounding areas in central Croatia has seen floods of help, aid and donations come in from across the country and indeed the world, and Croatian Telecom/Hrvatski Telekom is yet another entity to step forward and offer aid to those who have suffered as a result of the devastating natural disaster.

As Poslovni Dnevnik wrires, following the earthquake, Croatian Telecom's employees went out to the most heavily quake-affected areas to make sure the telecommunications network was fully functioning in order to keep everyone connected during those most difficult and stressful of moments.

In addition to the above, Croatian Telecom is donating a generous three million kuna for post-earthquake reconstruction in the afflicted central Croatian locations to the special Earthquake Reconstruction Assistance account.

"In the shortest possible time, we enabled the uninterrupted operation of base stations in the area of Sisak, Petrinja and Glina along with our partners, and we increased our capacities with additional mobile base stations. At the same time, we delivered 1,000 SIM cards and portable chargers to all of the earthquake-affected areas, and we're working on establishing a WiFi connection for the reception centre for people who have been left homeless,'' they stated from Croatian Telecom.

For more on the Petrinja earthquake, as well as helpful links for how you can donate funds, food, material, sanitary and other humanitarian aid, follow our dedicated section.

December the 31st, 2020 - On the very last day of what has been an absolutely horrendous year, the funeral of tragic 13-year-old Laura who lost her life during the devastating Petrinja earthquake is set to take place.

Index/Martina Paucek Sljivak sat down and talked to Laura's grieving stepfather Darko Culig, who spoke about what young Laura was like.

"I want people to know what a special girl she was. She was cheerful, happy and she loved singing and dancing more than anything else, she was so generous, she had such a big heart. On December the 22nd, she turned 13 and got some money from her grandparents for her birthday and she spent it on buying us all Christmas presents. She was amazing,'' Laura's severely shaken stepfather says as he begins his story.

"Laura was special"

He tells us how he met Laura when she was eight years old.

"Although at first it was hard for her to get used me as well as her dad's new wife, we later developed a very special relationship, I loved her so much. Laura had a little brother, Filip, on her father's side, who is still a baby. We both had a wonderful relationship, full of love and trust. She would confide in me about something rather than to her biological parents, I was a person she trusted, she would be the first to reveal some things to me, who she liked, and if she did something wrong, she would often say to me: ''Darko, come on, be on my side.''

She loved singing and dancing, we should've sent her to some supertalent show, even as a child she loved to entertain people, do impressions of them, she loved to watch the Dobro jutro komisija series, that was her  favourite series, we always called her little Vidoslava after one of the characters from the series because she had a bun like her. She was always cheerful and smiling. She never wanted for anything, she was extremely modest, generous, she thought of all of us all the time, she went constantly to visit her grandparents to see how they were doing. In the evenings she loved to joke around with me, she played all the time,'' Laura's stepfather described to Index.

We could all hear in the video the painful cries of his wife Snjezana, Laura's mother who found her child dead following the Petrinja earthquake, and there is nothing worse than that...

He and his wife are now sleeping in the car, and he described what happened on the fateful morning of the Petrinja earthquake.

"My wife got an injection right away that day, she's on pills now, this is unimaginably difficult, but she's also incredibly strong. The day it happened, Laura was in town with her grandmother, aunt and cousin. I was in the house and I barely escaped from it, my wife was at work. I couldn't get her on the phone. I went out to my car to get to town somehow and then I noticed my wife, she said to me: Take me to the square, something has happened to Laura. She was called by her ex-husband, Laura's father, who was called to say that Laura had died, you know everything else,'' a traumatised Darko explained.

"We are all together with my in-laws, three families, so it's a little easier for her, we talk all the time about Laura, what she was like, what she loved to do, but today it will be very difficult. "Even though it was said that the funeral should be in the family circle only, I can't tell anyone not to come, whoever wants to, they can come,'' Darko said, added that he must be strong for the sake of his wife, as she needs to lean on him.

The two of them have been sleeping in the car in front of their mother-in-law's house for two days now. So far, he says, they have enough food, and Snjezana's parents' neighbour from the coast has also published Darko's bank account details, to which people can pay their donations should they be in the position to do so.

"She was supposed to come home at noon today."

He confirmed to Index that the account details published were indeed his and that people had already started paying.

"I've heard that some have already started with fake accounts, but the one that was published is ours, the donations are coming, but I wouldn't like them to pay only to us, pay to others, too, please, it's hard for everyone. And when I remember saying to Laura that she'd be coming home today at noon because I'm cooking lunch. She'd been at her dad's for the festive period since December the 26th and she was supposed to come home today, and instead we're seeing her off and bidding her farewell, I still just can't believe it," Darko uttered.

Anyone who wants and can help with donations to Darko's family can make a payment in the name of Darko Culig, HR1524840083235299861. For payments from abroad: BIC: RZBHHR2XXXX.

For more on the Petrinja earthquake, please follow our dedicated section.

December the 31st, 2020 - The World Bank is ready to aid earthquake-stricken Croatia both technically and financially, as was confirmed to Poslovni Dnevnik by Elisabetta Capannelli, the World Bank's director for Slovenia and Croatia.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes, Elisabetta Capannelli, stated to Poslovni Dnevnik that the World Bank had received the horrible news of the recent devastating earthquake that struck Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and the surrounding areas in continental Croatia with great sadness.

"On behalf of the World Bank, I would like to express my deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragic event, and especially to those who have lost their loved ones. Although it may seem that there will be no end to the troubles in 2020, Croatia has once again shown that it is the strongest in the most difficult moments. The unity of all Croatia's residents, their selfless willingness to help, truly arouse admiration and give hope that 2021 will be a year of improvement.

The World Bank is already cooperating with the Croatian Government on the reconstruction of the City of Zagreb and surrounding areas after the devastating earthquake which hit the country in March, and we are ready to provide additional financial and technical support in efforts to rebuild and recover the newly affected areas, as well as support the further strengthening of the national earthquake and other disaster response systems,'' Capannelli stated.

For more on earthquake-stricken Croatia and how you can help by providing financial aid, donating food, materials, sanitary and humanitarian aid, click here. To pay from either here in Croatia or from abroad to a special donation bank account set up by HPB (this method is free of additional payment charges, even if you're not a Croatian resident and are making the payment from a foreign bank account), click here.

December the 31st, 2020 - If you want to help the Petrinja earthquake victims in Petrinja, Glina, Sisak or any of the other surrounding areas which have been affected, Glovo will deliver your package free of charge.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Glovo, a delivery service which has been present and very popular in Croatia for some time now, has joined the action of collecting donations for the earthquake-affected areas and enabled everyone who wants to help Petrinja earthquake victims to do so more easily by picking up donations for free and delivering them to the desired addresses in the affected areas.

If you want to help, all you need to do is prepare the supplies you want to donate, open the Glovo application, select the Express Delivery category and enter the address where the donation should be collected, as well as the address to which you want to send the donation. Donations are then delivered free of charge to the address you entered - whether it is the address of the Red Cross/Crveni kriz collection point or other organisations that organised the fundraiser.

''Sisak, Petrinja, Glina and the surrounding areas affected by the Petrinja earthquake need our help and we believe that we can help if we all join forces. We'd like to invite everyone who is able to do so to donate and help as much as they can, and we will take care of all of the logistics and donations to reach those in need,'' said Teo Sirola, the director of Glovo for Croatia, adding that the goal of this action is to facilitate the donation process and hopefully increase the overall number of donations to the victims of the recent devastating Petrinja earthquake, which sadly took multiple lives.

Donations made via Glovo can be completed in a mere few clicks and are easy and totally free. It is possible to donate groceries, clothes, hygiene and other necessities through the aforementioned app. Activation is available in all eleven Croatian cities where Glovo operates - Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar, Sisak, Pula, Karlovac, Velika Gorica, Varazdin and Slavonski Brod and the action will last for as long as necessary.

If you want to donate funds or food, material, sanitary, humanitarian or anti-epidemic items, you can find out how here, with lists of what is most needed provided. If you want to donate via a special donations account set up for Petrinja by HPB, click here. Donations made into the special HPB account are free of any additional charges, even if you don't live in Croatia and are paying from a foreign bank account.

December the 30th, 2020 - The Croatian company Valamar Riviera, otherwise the largest tourism company in the country, has opened the doors of its facilities and offered accommodation to families who have lost their homes in the Petrinja earthquake.

As Poslovni Dnevnik, Petrinja, Sisak, Glina, and the surrounding areas are full of families who have lost their homes and everything they once held dear in the horrendous earthquake which struck Central Croatia. The giant Croatian company Valamar has responded quickly.

The compant has made its Istria Premium Camping Resort in Funtana near Porec, Jezevac Premium Camping Resort on the island of Krk and Hotel Valamar Sanfior in Rabac available to families from Sisak-Moslavina County who have lost their properties in the earthquake and have nowhere else to go. Accommodation in camping resorts, in fully equipped camping houses, is available from today, December the 30th, and in the hotel Sanfior on a full board basis from tomorrow, December the 31st, 2020.

All those who need accommodation or who would like more information and to make arrangements can call 052/465 000 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Office for Reconstruction and Housing: 230 housing units are ready to provide temporary accommodation to those who have lost their homes as a result of the earthquake.

The Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing will make available 230 housing units for temporary accommodation of families in need, whose houses have been damaged or destroyed in Sisak-Moslavina County, from the available housing fund it manages.

The above was published on Wednesday on the website of the Central State Office, which states that, out of those 230 housing units, 44 housing units are equipped with furniture and household appliances.

For more, follow today's live updates. For more on how you can help by donating money, food, material and humanitarian aid, click here and here.

December the 30th, 2020 - Due to the devastating earthquakes that hit Sisak-Moslavina County, especially the areas of ​​Petrinja, Sisak and Glina, central Croatia is currently facing an enormous humanitarian crisis, and the needs and challenges are constantly growing. As such, UNICEF has launched a campaign to aid kids suffering as a result of the latest devastating Croatian earthquake.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, in order to respond to the crisis, UNICEF is preparing to deliver key supplies and protective equipment to the affected areas and to provide psychosocial assistance to children and parents affected by this Croatian earthquake, as well as support to kindergartens, schools and health facilities, and social welfare institutions. This crisis has a devastating long-term effect on the lives of children who are particularly vulnerable to such instances. It is important to protect them and alleviate their difficult situation, and even long after the earthquake - they will continue to need special care.

UNICEF has launched a campaign and is calling on all Croatian residents, companies and the media to get involved and help children and families in earthquake-ravaged areas with their donations. Everyone needs support and help in order to overcome these difficult challenges together and to provide support and security to the most vulnerable children and families in the coming period.

UNICEF has already launched the procurement of emergency supplies and equipment and, in cooperation with numerous institutions, is busy assessing long-term needs, and given the growing challenges, is calling on the people of Croatia and domestic companies to donate to help children and families in Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and other areas affected by this terrible Croatian earthquake.

Donations to children and families in earthquake-ravaged areas help ensure:

Hygiene supplies and protective equipment
Psychosocial assistance for children and parents
Support to kindergartens and schools
Support to health facilities and social services.
Donations can be made on this website: https://www.unicef.hr/pomozite-djeci-pogodjenoj-potresima/ and to the UNICEF account number: HR1723600001501092524, reference number 2068-98.

For more on the Petrinja earthquake, follow today's live updates. For more on how you can help, click here.

December the 30th, 2020 - Both those of us who live in Croatia and those abroad can now make their donations to the Petrinja earthquake victims free of charge thanks to the opening of a special account especially for them.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a special donation account has been opened at Hrvatska postanska banka (HPB) for the payment of donations to the City of Petrinja, and the bank has invited all residents of Croatia who are able to participate in the fundraising campaign for the Petrinja earthquake victims to do precisely that - and free of any additional charges.

The money donated to the Petrinja earthquake victims will go to help to repair the damage caused in the areas within Petrinja and Sisak-Moslavina County affected by the recent devastating earthquake as soon as possible.

Residents of Croatia who have Croatian bank accounts can make their donations free of charge on following IBAN: HR28 23900011500198069 with the accompanying reference number HR68 PNB 7765-oib, and for payments from abroad, people can do so here: SWIFT HPBZHR2X. The specified account is multi-currency, meaning that the donations do not necessarily have to be made in Croatian kuna or in euros.

In order to help those Petrinja earthquake victims whose homes were destroyed in yesterday's natural disaster, and as a means of expressing its social responsibility towards the community in which it operates, Hrvatska postanska banka has donated one million kuna to the City of Petrinja.

For more, follow our live updates. For more on how you can donate money, food and other material/humanitarian aid, click here.

December 30, 2020 – Due to yesterday's devastating 6,3 magnitude eathquake, schools in Sisak, Petrinja and Glina are damaged, and five of them are entirely unusable.

As Hina reports, Minister of Science and Education Radovan Fuchs said today that, in addition to the five unusable schools, nine of them would be able to be repaired, and thirteen will be able to function. Also, Minister Fuchs announced that he and his associates would visit the area today.

More than 5,000 students left without school buildings

"Five schools are completely unusable, nine will be able to be repaired, but serious reconstructions are needed. We have thirteen schools that will be able to function," Minister Fuchs told reporters ahead of a government session at the National and University Library.

Minister added that 3489 students were left without a school building in Sisak, and 1843 students in Petrinja. They will plan on how to organize the classes.

As TCN has learned, the First Primary School in Petrinja, located in the very center of the city, which was hit hard, was utterly demolished. Classes can no longer take place there because the roof of the building has fallen to the first floor of the school.

Petrinja High School's principal says he and three employees were at the school at the time of the earthquake. When the quake struck, the building began to collapse. They moved to a safe place and then went down to the schoolyard. The ground beneath them was still swaying. The walls were damaged and cracked. According to the principal's estimate, the entire school will need significant reparation.

'The return will not be easy'

The earthquake also caused great damage to the High School in Glina.

"At the time of the earthquake, several employees found themselves at the school and, thank God, came out unscathed at the last minute. I am afraid that the return will be neither easy nor so soon. The photos say it all. After visiting most of the classrooms and offices, we will need help," said Glina High School's principal on the school's Facebook page.

She was hit by an earthquake in the center of Glina, 15 minutes after she left her office at the school. Unfortunately, the retired school janitor and his son are among the dead.

The principal of Viktorovac High School in Sisak says the earthquake was really terrible.

Zagreb schools to accept students

As Jutarnji list reports, the head of the Zagreb City Office for Education, Ivica Lovrić, said that yesterday's earthquake did not cause significant damage to school buildings in Zagreb.

"All Zagreb schools will be able to accept students on January 18. The good thing is that after the earthquake in March, we rebuilt most of the damaged school buildings, so we have no major damage after yesterday's earthquake. We hope that the epidemiological situation will be such that in the new semester, we will start with model A, that is, school teaching," said Lovrić.

This morning, the structural engineer visited two regional schools in Brezovica, but apart from minor cracks in the walls, there is no damage.

Sister of Mercy Danijela Dinjar, principal of the Women's General Gymnasium, whose buildings are in Varšavska and Gundulićeva streets in Zagreb, confirms that yesterday's earthquake intensified previous damage that has not yet been fully repaired.

"The once walled door and part of the ceiling above the end wall of the building collapsed. Three classrooms are not for use, so in the second half of the year, we will teach in a building in Varšavska Street, and we will renovate the rest when we have the funds," says the principal, whose school is attended by 214 students this school year.

For more on the Petrinja earthquake, follow today's live updates. For more on how you can help, click here.

December the 30th, 2020 - Very generous and welcome help from numerous European countries arrives to help Croatia earthquake victims from Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and other deeply affected areas.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the first emergency aid arrived from neigbouring Slovenia to help following the devastating earthquake in the area of ​​Petrinja and Sisak has arrived. The move came after Croatia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism - the EU emergency aid programme, the Croatian Civil Protection Directorate announced on Wednesday.

Slovenia's help for Croatia earthquake victims arrived late on Tuesday night at around 23:00 - It included four containers, twelve bunk beds with 24 mattresses and 200 sleeping bags, reports N1.

This humanitarian aid arrived during the night at the central warehouse of the Civil Protection in the continental Croatian town of Jastrebarsko, from where it went on to be transported to the affected areas in accordance with the assessed needs, according to the Directorate of Civil Protection of the Republic of Croatia.

In addition to Slovenia, Croatia's call for aid was responded to with 470 folding beds from Austria, 100 winter tents from Italy, 40 tents and 50 electric heaters, 500 folding beds and 500 sleeping bags from Greece, 50 tents, 100 folding beds, 200 sleeping bags and 14 containers for housing from Romania, 60 tents and 2,000 folding beds from Sweden, lamps with protection, 1 tower for lighting, 10 electric heaters, 600 folding beds and 1,200 sleeping bags from the Czech Republic.

On Tuesday, Croatia activated the Civil Protection Union Mechanism - an EU emergency programme, and requested winter tents for 6 to 8 people, lamps with protection from the PVC network (indoor ones), lighting balloons / lighting towers, electric heaters, collapsible beds, sleeping bags and containers for housing, the Directorate of the Central Committee of the Republic of Croatia announced.

For more, follow our live updates for today. For more on how you can donate funds and humanitarian aid to the Croatia earthquake victims of Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and more, click here.

December 30, 2020 – After yesterday's devastating earthquake in Petrinja and Sisak, help comes from another part of the world. Croatians in Canada initiated a fundraiser action GoFundMe and raised over 70,000 dollars so far!

Yesterday's earthquake encouraged people from all over Croatia to collect food and hygiene supplies for people affected by the earthquake, but also to launch much-needed donation actions. Donations started arriving yesterday from neighboring countries (Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia) and other parts of the world, namely, Canada.

The news of the devastating earthquake centered in Petrinja has galvanized the Croatian community in Canada into action. Mirjana Jerkovic, a very active member of the Croatian community in Canada, organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect donations for people affected by Croatia's earthquake.

In less than 24 hours, a GoFundMe fundraiser has raised over 70,000 dollars. This fundraiser is trending in Canada and is currently the 7th largest fundraiser taking place in Canada. Close to 700 people have donated to this worthy cause, from Mississauga, other parts of the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, and across Canada.

Mirjana is a long time member of the executive board of the Vatroslav Lisinski Tambura Orchestra of Mississauga, Ontario, and is well known in Croatian folklore circles in Canada. Her husband is a native of Vinkovci.

"Our Canadian-Croatian community is strong and has always helped our Croatian homeland. Let's show our support and donate to those most affected by the horrific earthquake on December 29, 2020. All funds will be donated to families, and we will post delivery! Please share! Bože, čuvaj Hrvatsku," reads her statement at GoFundMe.

Father Marko Štefanec of Holy Cross Croatian parish in Hamilton, Ontario, has produced a video encouraging Croats in Canada to give to those in need due to this earthquake.

"Due to Canadian bureaucracy, it is very difficult for Croatian parishes across Canada to send money outside Canada. Therefore, the best way to help is through these two platforms – fundraisers GoFundMe and Caritas Croatia," says Štefanec in the video below.

You can pay donations via GoFundMe website or through the Caritas Croatia website.

For more, follow today's live updates. To find out how you too can donate money, food, material and humanitarian aid, click here.