ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The Croatian government on Thursday adopted a new program for the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in five counties to correct prices of reconstruction work due to a rise in market prices and extend deadlines for the submission of requests for reconstruction.

Also, the status of a legalized property is no longer required for owners to seek grants for temporary assistance and emergency interventions, Construction Minister Darko Horvat said, noting that the changes would help step up the reconstruction process.

The program includes results of a study the purpose of which was preliminary identification of risky geological process, soil liquefaction, and landslides and which was conducted in cooperation with the Zagreb Faculty of Mining Geology and Petroleum Engineering, Horvat said.

Under the new program, owners willing to reconstruct their houses on their own in disaster areas will be able to arrange the making of the design study and project documentation as well as reconstruction work on their own while supervision over finished reconstruction work and payment will be done by the Central State Office for Housing.

The program defines more clearly than before the content of important technical documentation related to reconstruction, the final report by the supervisor engineer, and the written statement by the contractor, and it additionally regulates the necessary elements for all key stakeholders in the reconstruction process and extends deadlines for the submission of applications.

As of now, citizens will be able to seek grants not only for the general design for reconstruction work but also for designs for structural reconstruction and total reconstruction, with the deadline for such applications being extended until 31 December 2030.

The deadline for the submission of applications for grants for the temporary protection of damaged properties has been extended until 31 December 2022 while applications for the removal of destroyed residential buildings, combined residential and office buildings, and office buildings may be submitted until 31 December 2025.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 24, 2021 - A 4.3 magnitude earthquake rocks central Croatia on Wednesday morning. 

Today at 10:58 am, EMSC reported that a 4.3 magnitude earthquake rocked central Croatia. The epicenter was between Sisak and Glina.

The Seismological Service of the Republic and Seismologist Tomislav Kuk told Media Servis that the magnitude of the earthquake was 4.1.

"This is a series of subsequent earthquakes, which have decreased slightly, but are still ongoing," seismologist Tomislav Kuk explained to Media Servis.

"This one was much stronger," wrote one visitor to the EMSC website in Petrinja.

"Of course very inconvenient," reads another comment from a visitor in Petrinja.

Index.hr reports that part of the building in the city center collapsed. It is a building that was damaged in an earthquake at the end of last year.

Police confirmed to Index that they received a report that a part of the previously damaged building collapsed due to the earthquake. Police officers went to the scene.

More soon..

To read more news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 22 January, 2021 - Members of the European Parliament on Thursday adopted by a vast majority a resolution on mitigating the consequences of last year's earthquakes in Croatia, asking that all available EU instruments be used to help the country.

The resolution was supported by 677 MEPs while five voted against and one abstained.

Participating in drafting the resolution, initiated by Croatian MEP Valter Flego, were all Croatian members of the European Parliament.

The draft resolution "calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the EU and Croatian institutions, to devise a swift way of distributing the necessary financial and other assistance to ensure a speedy recovery of the affected areas."

In approving financial aid, the Commission is called upon to take account of the fact that Croatia is at the same time also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Croatia is called upon to prioritise "renovation in its recovery and resilience plan, devoting particular attention to comprehensive preventative renovations that ensure the highest seismic standards for housing and buildings at greatest risk in its most earthquake-prone regions."

Croatia is called upon to carefully monitor post-earthquake reconstruction to make sure the highest seismic standards are ensured for all buildings and infrastructure. 

The document says that the reconstruction process should be carried out as swiftly as possible, respecting transparency, applying best professional practices and taking account of the demographic aspect. Special focus should be placed on building the basic infrastructure that was lacking prior to the earthquake and access to basic needs and services should be promptly re-established in all parts of the affected areas.

The Commission is called upon to extend the 18-month time limit for the use of funds from the European Solidarity Fund in the event of a devastating earthquake.

The document also stresses the importance of prioritising residents of the affected areas for COVID-19 vaccination and encourages the Croatian government to implement the decision it has announced to redirect a significant proportion of its vaccine supply to Sisak-Moslavina County. 

The resolution also welcomes the decision of EU member states to give part of their vaccination supplies to Croatia.

Last year Croatia was struck by two strong earthquakes that were followed by a number of aftershocks. On 22 March, a 5.5 earthquake shook Zagreb and two adjacent counties, killing a 12-year-old girl and damaging over 26,000 buildings. On 29 December, a 6.2 earthquake struck Sisak-Moslavina County, killing seven people and demolishing over 30,000 buildings.

January 5, 2021 – The Croatian Geological Survey issued a statement on the recent earthquakes in Petrinja, Sisak, Glina, and the surrounding areas. To their knowledge, the activation of two mutually vertical fault systems caused the earthquakes.

Here is the entire press release of the Croatian Geological Survey (HGI).

The active tectonics of the entire area of Croatia, including the wider epicentral area of Pokupsko-Petrinja-Sisak, is caused by the continuous movement of the Adriatic lithospheric microplate (Adria) to the north. Therefore, in the upper parts of the Earth's crust, great strains occur at the contact of the Dinarides and the Pannonian Basin. When the strain reaches a critical level, individual faults from that system are (re)activated. There is a sudden movement of kilometers blocks of crust with dimensions of several hundred to thousands of cubic kilometers. As a result, a massive amount of energy is released, and earthquakes occur.

According to preliminary geological analyzes of Croatian Geological Survey's scientists and experts, based on geological maps, numerous field data published in the media, field prospecting, available seismological, and preliminary satellite data, the earthquake that hit Petrinja and its surroundings on December 28, 2020, activated the fault system in the underground of the broader area of Sisak, Petrinja, and Glina. (photo below)

Geological map of the Petrinja and Sisak area with highlighted main faults from activated fault systems that caused earthquakes on 28 and 29 December 2020. / Croatian Geological Survey

It is evident that it is the intersection of longitudinal and transverse faults on the extension of the Dinarides. Both fault systems consist of multiple faults with horizontal wing movement (strike-slip). One is the lesser-known fault, which on this occasion is marked as the left Petrinja fault, and the other is the better-known right Pokupsko fault. Such a fault system is a textbook example of deformations that occur in rock due to compression stress along the north-south axis.

Both fault systems are shown on the Basic Geological Map of the Republic of Croatia 1: 100,000, page Sisak, prepared by the Institute of Geology HGI (Pikija, 1987), and on the overview geological map of the Republic of Croatia 1: 300,000 (HGI, 2009). All geological maps covering the territory of the Republic of Croatia are available on request on the Croatian Geological Survey's website.

Due to a large amount of released energy during the movement of fault wings, ruptures in the rocks were manifested on the surface of the terrain, so in the wider epicentral area along fault lines, we find various surface manifestations of this movement and vibration of the terrain: open cracks and paraclasses, fluid spills, sand volcanoes due to liquefaction in the Kupa and Sava river basins, deformations of the surface of the terrain and infrastructural line facilities, and numerous other, hitherto unusual phenomena for our area, which can also cause various subsequent geohazard events. Part of the deformation of the terrain between Petrinja and Glina is probably due to the collapse of the underground corridors of the brown coal mines that operated in the first half of the 20th century and were not adequately rehabilitated (buried).

More data and details on the activated fault system will be available upon completing field research by the Croatian Geological Survey's teams.

Dr. sc. Tvrtko Korbar, scientific advisor of the Croatian Geological Survey

For more on the Petrinja earthquake and to see how you can donate money, food, humanitarian, sanitary and material aid, follow our dedicated section.

December 31, 2020 – Croatian firemen, army, police and medical workers worked through after the earthquake in Sisak Moslavina County on 29 December 2020. We wanted to get a sense of the demand on and the experiences of emergency services, so we spoke with Josip Granić. Head Of Service for HGSS, who was coordinating the efforts of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja

This interview took place in Petrinja, just before 12.30pm on Wednesday 30 December 2020

Right now we have around 120 people here. Last night we sent some home. During the height of the operation, we had 192 members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja and the surrounding towns and villages. Firefighters and police from all over Croatia came. There are more than 200 army personnel here too.

Because we are part of the operational team of the National Civil Protection, we were already here and involved in the response to the first earthquake. After yesterday's earthquake, I called each HGSS station across Croatia and asked them to prepare at least one vehicle and one team to come and join the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja. The first extra teams to arrive were from this county - Sisak and Novska. They got here around 2pm. Teams from Orebic, Peljesac and Split arrived maybe last, because of the large distance they had to travel. One team came by car, another came by helicopter.

What was the situation like for Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja when the wider team first started to arrive after the second day's larger earthquake?

If I said it was chaos, that wouldn't be strong enough a word. The centre of the town was chaos. Everyone was busying themselves with responding – people were moving debris, firefighters were making their way through, ambulances and police moving through, people of the city in the streets helping out. The streets were filled with dust and smoke. You could hear the sounds of floors and roofs and buildings collapsing all around you.

What were the first undertakings for the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja?

Well, our first response was not only in Petrinja – we were immediately in some of the surrounding villages too. The very first thing we did was send in our search teams and the specially trained dogs we work with. We were instructed by locals. They told us which of the collapsed buildings were likely to have people trapped beneath them. We immediately found one person. It was in the town hall. One lady. The entire ceiling had fallen on top of her. Our colleague from Ogulin found her with his dog. The firefighters worked so fast, so hard to dig her out. They were excellent. It took four and a half hours to get her out. She was lucky. Unfortunately, we also found four more people who were already dead.

We saw quite a lot of volunteers. Who is organising them?

There are many different groups. Many local people were the first ones out on the streets, volunteering. Then, those from the immediate area came - four friends in a car, that kind of thing. |NGOs arrived next – veterans, charities and so on. Then, football fans from all over Croatia arrived. Supporters groups had organised coaches to bring themselves here. At first, nobody was organising them and it was a bit of a problem. They organised themselves. But, it was such chaos that some emergency vehicles, including search and rescue teams of Croatian Mountain Rescue Service in Petrinja, could not pass through the town. This is dangerous because, in search and rescue, your ability to respond quickly is vitally important. After dark, things began to run more smoothly. Many worked until 3am or 4am, then they were sent home. The ones who didn't arrive until much later in the night were incorporated into Civil Protection and assigned to work the next day in villages and towns outside Petrinja, where help was needed.

How has the demand on what you do changed since yesterday?

It hasn't changed that much. We have been visiting villages throughout the county as quickly as we can, searching for people who may be trapped. Some of these places have not yet been reached by the other emergency services, but they will get to them. We found another alive person who was trapped today. Since early in the morning we have searched 84 villages.

What advice would you give someone who wants to come here to volunteer?

Organise it first with Civil protection. If it is organised with them, then you know you won't be in the way and you will be going to where help is needed. If it's organised with them first, then come. There's a job for everyone who wants it here.

How different is the demand on emergency services in this earthquake compared to the earthquake in Zagreb in March 2020?

Well, our services were not requested during the Zagreb earthquake and a lot of that is because of the structural integrity of the buildings in Zagreb. Most were strong enough to survive that big earthquake. The ones which were damaged were only partially damaged. Many buildings in Zagreb were hardly damaged at all and so many people in Zagreb were relatively unaffected by that earthquake. Here, everyone is affected.

All images © HGSS

December 31, 2020 – Total Croatia News visited Majske Poljane, Glina and Petrinja one day after the earthquake. It is difficult to find words to describe the devastation we saw. Perhaps pictures tell the story better

Majske Poljane

Majske Poljane is a rural community. Such was the devastation here, it was difficult to tell which of the destroyed buildings had yesterday been used for agriculture or if they'd been homes



TCN's Paul Bradbury talks to Majske Poljane resident Vladimir who confirmed that, yes, the building across the lane had been a home, his neighbours had lived there just 24 hours earlier





Doors of houses left ajar, windows collapsed, smashed and broken. Inside, you can see everyday lives, stopped suddenly, frozen in time









Croatian soldiers quickly constructing emergency shelters in the freezing fog of early morning. They came from all over Croatia. Unsure if their damaged houses were structurally safe, parents and children of Glina, surrounding villages and Petrinja stood in gardens and fields, keeping warm around fires. With no electricity, they cooked on barbecues.



Majske Poljane seemed like the most silent place on earth. No single sound, not even bird song.

Even the three village dogs left behind padded around the wet road in silence

Glina

Croatian firefighters walk heavily through the mist-filled streets of Glina









The entire upper floor of this house had collapsed, crushing completely the floor underneath

Volunteers at work on the roofs of two neighbouring houses, between Glina and Petrinja one day after the earthquake. The volunteers had come from all over Croatia

Petrinja one day after the earthquake

Even in the miserably wet winter weather, the greeting sign to Petrinja one day after the earthquake might still have looked cheery, if you couldn't see all the emergency vehicles in the background. 







If you didn't know any better, these might look like damaged derelict buildings. But, 24 hours earlier, these had been a row of thriving storefronts, right in the centre of Petrinja one day after the earthquake

Sisak

Damage to the train station in Sisak. A considerably larger city than Petrinja one day after the earthquake, not one business we passed was working - no supermarkets, no fast-food restaurants. Nothing. Groups of teenagers roamed the streets with nothing to do and nowhere to go

Zazina

The Parish church of St. Nikola and Vida, Žažina near Petrinja one day after the earthquake



This is how the church had looked just one day earlier. A couple of metres from the church, remnants of the fire that parishioners had gathered around on Badnjak (Christmas Eve). We later learned that the church organist had been cleaning the organ when the earthquake struck, and tragically he was killed. 

Photo of the Parish church of St. Nikola and Vida, Žažina courtesy of the church, all other photos © Marc Rowlands

December 30, 2020 – For the part of the population who have lost a place to sleep, Istria sent a convoy of caravans to Petrinja and other earthquake-ravaged surrounding places.

After the Istrian firefighters went to help the injured in Petrinja and its surroundings yesterday, today Istrians showed a big heart again. Namely, in front of the Žatika hall in Poreč, a convoy of caravans headed towards the earthquake-affected areas.

As Jutarnji.hr reports, the caravan owners from Istria sent 16 of them, equipped, to Petrinja and Glina on Wednesday, so that part of the Petrinja and Glina residents could have a place to sleep.

A convoy of caravans headed from Istria to Petrinja / Photo: the City of Poreč - Parenzo

This humanitarian action was initiated by Denis Bernobić from Poreč, the owner of a local towing service, together with the owner of a small family camp Polidor near Funtana, Adrian Ukušić. According to both of them, whom Jutarnji found in a convoy near Rijeka while transporting the first contingent of houses, this is just the beginning.

"Private owners of caravans responded to the action, and among them are even some Germans who have their caravan in the Bijela Uvala camp near Poreč. They called me and said they were giving their caravan away with all the papers. People immediately started appearing like crazy from all over Istria, so this is only the first contingent," says Bernobić, who set off for Petrinja and Glina on Wednesday together with colleagues with eight trucks, seven jeeps, and two vans.

They are driving caravans directly to people who were left without roofs and slept outside last night, and they have everything – toilets, beds, and heating.

The caravans are equipped with food and drinks / Photo: the City of Poreč - Parenzo

"The caravans are also full of drinks and food. There are even wood and wood stoves inside. The van is full of bedding. Everyone helped us to equip them, and the Red Cross from Poreč and Rovinj were especially active, and I thank them for that," says Bernobić, whose phone keeps ringing.

"They keep calling me across all platforms because people want to give away their caravans. So we will drive towards Petrinja and Glina in the coming days as well. We expect to take about 40 caravans to the affected areas in the next few days. Colleagues from Koper and Slovenia who have a towing service also call me to help us take the campers, "points out Bernobić, who took similar action with Ukušić when Gunja was flooded.

The owner of Polidor was also with him in convoy, and he gave two of his camps. Mayor of Poreč Loris Peršurić also supported Bernobić.

"These are all donations from citizens from all over Poreč and beyond. Poreč Red Cross, local committees, and numerous associations and initiatives still collect all kinds of help. This is an unprecedented tragedy. The minimum we can do is help people whose homes have been destroyed, who are terrified, and whose horrors, unfortunately, are not over yet," Mayor Peršurić told Hina.

 Follow our live updates on the situation in Croatia's earthquake-hit areas here; find out how you can donate here.

December 29, 2020 - Another strong earthquake was felt throughout Croatia on Tuesday morning, felt especially in the Zagreb area.

According to the EMSC, the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3. 

The center of the earthquake, which shook Croatia at around 12.20 pm, was 46 kilometers from Zagreb and nine kilometers west, southwest of Sisak in the Petrinja area, the EMSC reported.

The quake had a depth of 10 kilometers.

After that quake, another smaller one was felt. All together it lasted about half a minute, reports Index.hr.

This news comes after a strong earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale was recorded in the Petrinja area Monday at 6:28. Subsequently, at 7:49 and 7:51, two more earthquakes, this time 4.7 and 4.1 magnitudes, were recorded, with the epicenter 5 km southeast of Petrinja.

More than a dozen smaller earthquakes have been recorded in the Petrinja area since Monday morning. 

You can find witness testimonies HERE

LIVE UPDATES powered by Index

22:07 Petrinja mayor in tears
"If we don't react adequately now, we can all bury ourselves in this rubbish. I've been crying all day," Darinko Dumbovic told N1.

22:03 Homeless citizens will sleep in the hall

The Brezovica Sports Hall in Sisak has become a place where citizens can be accommodated.

The long-awaited truck with beds arrived in Sisak in the evening. They are set up in a hall where about 40 people will spend the night. Most of them are older people, reports N1.

21:51 This is the most important information about the devastating earthquake in Petrinja
At 12:19 pm, seismologists recorded a devastating earthquake with an epicenter five kilometers southwest of Petrinja at a depth of 11.5 kilometers. The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.2 according to Richter, and the intensity at the epicenter of the VIII-IX degrees of the EMS scale. 

21:50 About 200 people in Zagreb donated blood for those in Petrinja and Sisak, they waited for an hour and a half
About 200 people voluntarily donated blood at the Institute for Transfusion Medicine in Zagreb to provide sufficient amounts of blood for people from the areas affected by the earthquake, said the director of the Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Irena Jukic.

The call for voluntary blood donation was sent to all healthy adult citizens because it is not known which blood groups will be needed and in what quantities, added Jukić, who was surprised by the response of the citizens. 

21:37 Plenković addresses the public

21:26 Ivanić grad helps Petrinja

Today, the Mayor of Ivanić-Grad, in coordination with the Zagreb County, agreed to help the citizens who today, unfortunately, lost their homes. Permanent accommodation and hot meals have been prepared for as many as 160 people in the student dormitory in Ivanić Grad.

The owner of the student dormitory in Ivanić-Grad is the county and already tonight a family is placed in the dormitory. The capacity of the home is 120.

21:20 They will collect donations in Nedelišće
In agreement with the Red Cross and based on numerous invitations from citizens, entrepreneurs and associations, the MESAP heated hall in Nedelišće will be available in the morning, where
they will collect food and hygiene supplies. Volunteers will pack them in family packages and distribute them in an organized manner to the areas of Petrinja, Glina and other surrounding settlements affected by the earthquake, the Međimurje headquarters reported.

21:19 Podravka sends 10 tons of food
In agreement with the national and county Civil Protection Headquarters, Podravka provided 10 tons of its food products for the citizens of Petrinja, Sisak and other places affected by the earthquake, and a truck with food is on its way to the affected areas.

Based on the orders of the Chief Fire Commander of the Republic of Croatia Slavko Tucaković, volunteer firefighters from the Fire Brigade of the City of Koprivnica and professional firefighters of the Public Fire Brigade of the City of Koprivnica went to help eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Petrinja.

They went to Petrinja with six vans and one tanker and a field support vehicle.

Members of the Public Fire Brigade from Đurđevac are also in the damaged town. During this afternoon, construction materials were procured, which will go to Petrinja tomorrow so that its residents can start rebuilding their homes as soon as possible.

HGSS members from Podravina are also helping in the quake-hit area. Hotel Podravina from Koprivnica, through its Facebook profile, offered free accommodation for 20 people who were left without their homes. Contact phone is 048 / 621-025.

21:10 Krško should start working tomorrow
The director of the Krško nuclear power plant, Stane Rožman, stated that no damage was found to the plant and that there was no impact on the environment. Currently, the nuclear power plant is safe. It is expected to start working normally again tomorrow.

"The prescribed security activity is being carried out, the system is being checked, the situation is completely normal, no damage has been noticed so far. In such cases, everyone must gather at the technical support center and agree on what to do next," he added.

21:04 In the last 37 hours, 20 earthquakes were felt in Croatia

As the European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) announced tonight, 20 earthquakes were felt in Croatia in the last 37 hours.

It should be emphasized that these are earthquakes that were felt, because in fact there were more earthquakes in Croatia, but not all of them were felt. 

20:48 Help for some surrounding villages is just starting

20:46 Report from Petrinja

20:37 Putar: HGSS continues the search during the night
The deputy head of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, Neven Putar, said that the HGSS had rescued six people from the rubble in the earthquake-stricken area of Petrinja so far, and that he added that the search and rescue operation would continue during the night.

"During the night, teams of HGSS members will inspect the terrain, that is, they will visit the villages between Petrinja and Sisak to see what the situation is like," Putar told Hina.

20:33 Helicopters from Petrinja to Zagreb evacuated the homes for the elderly

20:09 Live from Petrinja

20:05 The Judo Federation helps the affected areas
"The Croatian Judo family is next to Sisak, Petrinja, Glina, as well as all smaller places affected by earthquakes! The Board of Directors of the Croatian Judo Federation has made a decision on financial support for the neediest in the amount of HRK 50,000. We are also in contact with the Civil Protection Headquarters and we have made 5 vans available for transport. Above all - CROATIA!"

19:42 The seventh dead person has also been confirmed, a man died inside the church in Žažina

19:41 "Neighbors help first": BiH Red Cross raises aid for Petrinja
The Red Cross of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced on its Facebook profile that it has started collecting money for the earthquake-affected areas in Croatia. 

19:40 Policemen gave up their meals and sent them to Petrinja 
Lika intervention, border and basic police officers and colleagues from the Police Directorates of Šibenik-Knin, Varaždin and Dubrovnik-Neretva who, in helping Lika to protect the state border, gave up their packed meals during a 12-hour shift and sent a full van from Donji Lapac to Petrinja, the Ministry of the Interior announced. 

19:32 Bozinovic: I hope there is no one under the rubble
"I hope that there is no one under the rubble anymore, but we cannot rule it out," Bozinovic told HRT's Dnevnik. The host of HTV claimed that seven dead had been confirmed, but Božinović did not deny that.

19:30 HGSS rescued two people
Teams of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) located three dead in the wider area of ​​Petrinja and Glina on Tuesday and pulled two people out of the rubble, according to HGSS chief Josip Granić.

"So far, we have pulled a woman out of the ruins from the city government building in Petrinja, and in Majske Poljane we found three people who died and found one person buried alive with the help of dogs," Granic told Hina.

There are 169 people in the field from 19 HGSS stations, from the altitude team to search teams with search dogs helping to locate.

Rescue operations are still ongoing and the entire civil protection system has been launched, he noted.

HGSS teams are working to clean roads, and tonight they are looking for another missing person.

There are 10 search teams in the field, we continue to work all night, said Granić.

19:25 Help has arrived in Strašnik
Help arrived in the place closest to the epicenter, and part of the citizens were evacuated. A tent was set up and vans with water and food arrived.

19:09 The control tower in Zagreb was damaged in the earthquake, air traffic was interrupted
The Croatian Air Navigation Services reported on Tuesday night that the control tower in Zagreb suffered damage in the earthquake, which interrupted air traffic over Zagreb for some time. 

19:08 Drone: People, don't come to Petrinja anymore and don't enter the ruins
The Assistant Minister of the Interior and the Director of Civil Protection said that a lot of people arrived in Petrinja today to help, but now he asked people to go home and new ones not to come.

"We had a large number of volunteers and fans, I asked them now to go home, because it is dark and we don't want injuries. I appeal not to enter the ruins," Trut said. and added that this was a ten times stronger earthquake than the one in Zagreb in March. 

18:53 Mayor of Petrinja: The system died in this city, it simply does not exist
The mayor of Petrinja, Darinko Dumbović, spoke about the current situation in Petrinja after the earthquake.

"What I have to say is that I sincerely sympathize with all the families who survived the tragedy. The city of Petrinja is going through hell after this earthquake that we could not see in any film. Everything we experienced primarily as a city, I have a feeling that the soul and center is destroyed and I can say all that with just one sentence: My city, why are you going through this?" said Dumbović for N1. 

18:50 Zagreb collects aid for Petrinja, Glina, Sisak

18:39 278 firefighters and 76 vehicles arrive in Sisak and Petrinja
According to the order of the chief fire commander Slavko Tucakovic, additional fire forces were sent to the area affected by the earthquake. In addition to a large number of firefighters, naval fire trucks, technical vehicles, rescue vehicles from heights, special rescue equipment from the rubble, and fire crews with search dogs were sent.

Fire brigades from Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Istria, Šibenik-Knin, Zadar, Koprivnica-Križevci, Osijek-Baranja, Krapina-Zagorje, Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties were sent to Petrinja with a total of 137 firefighters and 44 vehicles.

Firefighters from the City of Zagreb, Lika-Senj, Varaždin, Bjelovar-Bilogora, Brod-Posavina and Vukovar-Srijem counties were sent to Sisak with a total of 141 firefighters and 32 vehicles.

In addition to the above assistance, all available fire brigades of the Sisak-Moslavina County have been engaged in this area.

18:37 The region is with Croatia: Macedonia sends money, Slovenia tents, Serbia offers help
The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, also sent a message of support to Croatia. His government today decided to send six million Macedonian denars (about 734,000 kuna) in financial aid to Croatia, he announced on Facebook.

"At today's session, the government decided on the financial assistance of 6 million denars for Croatia after the strong earthquake in Petrinja. Solidarity is the first impulse at the moment and we will provide assistance in accordance with the needs."

18:35 Convoy of cars in front of Petrinja
According to our reporters, a convoy of cars is in front of the entrance to Petrinja, and trucks are driving containers towards Petrinja.

18:33 A new earthquake was felt in Croatia
The area of central Croatia is shaking non-stop. There have been two earthquakes in the last 20 minutes. Estimates are still pending.

18:31 Humanitarian aid for Petrinja from Split

18:15 The Ministry of the Interior announced that six people died

18:13 HGSS warns of an important rule about the emergency corridor

18:10 HEP, the state electricity company, announced the latest information
"During the afternoon, HEP re-established electricity supply in the area of Glina, Topusko, Dvor, Gvozd, Hrvatska Kostajnica and Sunja, and at around 6 pm in the area of Velika Gorica. Half of the city of Sisak, including the hospital, also has power, while the other half will. Due to large and devastating damage to the network, Petrinja is still completely without a power supply, and activities are underway to establish power supply for part of Petrinja, which is expected during the evening. in all the mentioned areas, a part of the consumers will be without power supply until all minor faults on the low voltage network and connections are eliminated."

18:10 A huge column formed on the highway to Sisak.
The descent from the highway at the toll booths in Lekenik is very crowded. Recall that passes have been abolished throughout the country. More on Index.

18:00 Bozinovic announced
"We are all committed to accommodating people, those who cannot in their homes. As far as human forces are concerned, we have enough of them. We are working on it and help is coming from the national headquarters from the warehouse. that everyone has a roof over their heads and I think we will succeed in that, "Bozinovic said.

17:54 Evacuation from the hospital in Petrinja

The evacuation of patients from the Petrinja hospital is still ongoing, there is no electricity or heating, military vans are waiting, the ground is still shaking.

17:48 Another person was killed in Žažina

There were five people in the church in Žažine at the time of the collapse, four of whom escaped before it collapsed. One person remained trapped under the rubble and died.

17:47 Doctor from Sisak hospital: Earthquake knocked me to the floor, surgery building separated
A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 near Petrinja destroyed the town, but it also caused great damage in Sisak. Doctor Ivana Šmit, a cardiologist at the General Hospital in Sisak, was in the internal medicine department at the time of the earthquake, and soon after the earthquake, she went to rescue patients from the hospital in Petrinja.

17:46 45 HGSS members transported by helicopter from Split to Petrinja to search in ruins
Croatian Air Force helicopters from Divulje rushed to the Petrinja area on Tuesday to transport 45 members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGS) in Split to help search for and help people in the rubble, according to HGSS Deputy Chief Vinko Prizmić.

17:48 New footage of Petrinja from above

17:24 Live from Petrinja

17:19 New information: Six are dead
It has been confirmed to Index that there are five dead people in Majske Poljane.

17:08 Deputy Mayor of Glina for Index
Four people have died, one is fighting for his life.

17:00 Bandić: In Zagreb, the damage is 20 times less than in the March earthquake
"Fortunately, there are no casualties in Zagreb. There are slightly injured people and panic. Most of them are people stuck in elevators and in a panic on the stairs," said Mayor Bandic.

16:57 Westgate closes
Westgate Shopping City will not be open to visitors today and tomorrow, they said. The Center has no structural damage and is completely safe, but when there are major accidents, such as today's earthquake, a system of sprinklers is preventively activated, which caused minor flooding in part of the Center.

The earthquake also caused minor damage to store windows, and part of the range was damaged, and in the next few days the damage will be repaired and the Center
reopen to customers.

By the way, Westgate was designed and built according to the strictest conditions for earthquake protection, and the style of construction is ‘deserving’ that the Center did not record major damage even after the earthquake in March.

16:55 Four people died in Majske Poljane
It was confirmed to Index that four people were killed in Majske Poljane.

16:42 Information about the third victim has arrived
According to new information, another person was killed.

16:32 Međimurje headquarters reported: We are abolishing checkpoints
The Civil Protection Headquarters of Međimurje County informs the public that according to the information of the Police Administration of Međimurje, the police are abolishing checkpoints among
counties. The e-pass system has been suspended until further notice. The Croatian Mountain Rescue Service sent seven people from Međimurje to help in Petrinja.

The Public Fire Brigade and the Voluntary Fire Brigade of Međimurje have been put on alert to leave the affected areas. The Red Cross will coordinate the collection of humanitarian aid and will send a message to the public when more information is known.

16:29 The whole of Croatia is wondering: How to help Petrinja?
Thousands of people respond to the addresses and numbers, as well as on their Facebook profiles, with one wish and the question: how to help?

MORE HERE

16:20 Zagreb helps Petrinja
The City of Zagreb has sent emergency teams to the Emergency Management Office in Petrinja and Sisak, firefighters trained to rescue from the rubble, a special container containing rescue equipment, 100 beds, five tents and tarpaulins to cover the roofs. Assistance is also provided by eight Zagreb ambulance teams and members of the City Society of the Red Cross Zagreb, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service-Zagreb Station and the Zagreb Amateur Radio Association.

In Petrinja and Sisak, 54 Zagreb firefighters and 12 fire trucks are on the ground, along with one fire truck that was sent to the affected area yesterday.

As of this morning, employees of the city offices have been on the ground in the area of ​​Sisak and Petrinja, where, together with teams of civil engineers, they are helping to establish a system for receiving the first quick inspections of damaged buildings and houses. The mayor sent a message that the City of Zagreb is making all its resources available to the affected area, the City of Zagreb reported.

16:04 Help is coming from all sides
A convoy of military excavators has just entered Petrinja

15:59 The death of another person has been confirmed
One person was killed in Majske Poljane.

15:46 An earthquake with an epicenter in Italy was felt in Croatia

15:46 Teams of the Institute for Emergency Medical Aid of Varaždin County actively involved in helping the injured in Sisak-Moslavina County
Upon receiving a call from the Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health, the Varaždin County Emergency Medical Service immediately sent an ambulance team and a medical team to help people affected by today's earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County.

The emergency team has already transferred the first casualties from Petrinja to the Sisak Hospital, while the medical team will take the casualties to Sisak and drive them to the Zagreb hospitals if necessary.

It should be noted that the Institute for Emergency Medical Aid of Varaždin County has three more emergency teams in preparation if necessary.

15:42 Live from Petrinja, repairing the damage is starting after a huge earthquake

15:21 The Ministry of the Interior announced that they had revoked the passes for the Sisak-Moslavina County.

Citizens whose homes were damaged in the earthquake and have accommodation in another county can tell the police at the checkpoint the reason for leaving the county.

"Passes for Sisak-Moslavina County have been revoked! If citizens from other areas affected by the earthquake have the opportunity to stay in the neighboring county, and come across a police checkpoint, let them report the reasons to the police and they will be allowed to pass! Follow the measures!" said the Ministry of the Interior.

15:16 Church near Sisak completely destroyed, people trapped inside

In ŽAŽINA in the municipality of Lekenik near Sisak, a church was completely destroyed.

Damir Trut, deputy interior minister and commander of the Civil Protection, told RTL that two more are missing in the ruins under the church, several were injured.

"The first thing that needs to be done is to save the people who remained under the rubble, there are still only some in Zazina, and then it will be searched to see if anyone else is left. After that, the ruins are being cleared," Trut told RTL.

15:16 KBC Zagreb will receive 40 infected patients from Sisak
The Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb will receive about 40 Covid patients from the Sisak hospital, and all patients and staff of that hospital are in order and are returning to the buildings after the earthquake, according to the assistant director Milivoj Novak.

"Everything is under control, people panicked so they went out, now they are coming back," Novak said.

15:15 Istria sends help
The Civil Protection Headquarters of Istria County and the Fire Brigade of Istria County sent a total of 18 firefighters with search dogs from Istria County to the area of the town of Petrinja, which is most endangered by the consequences of the earthquake.

15:09 Osijek firefighters go to Petrinja
15 firefighters of the Public Utility Company of the city of Osijek trained to rescue from the ruins are going to Petrinja to help.

15:09 Plenković: We are canceling passes!
More details coming soon

15:08 International media writes about the violent earthquake in Croatia
The violent earthquake that hit a large part of Croatia is also reported by the world media.

Reuters reports that a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit the Croatian city of Petrinja, about 50 kilometers from Zagreb, and added that emergency services reported that many people were injured and that videos of people being rescued from the rubble near the epicenter were arriving from the field. 

15:08 Beroš: Organized transport of patients from Petrinja to Zagreb
"Transport of eight intensive Covid patients to Dubrava, three intensive to Sisak, eight cardiology to Sestre milosrdnice and about 20 moderate to Zagreb was organized, and we are talking to the heads of psychiatric institutions to accommodate 100 people from Petrinja," Beroš said during the visit. Petrinja. 

15:08 Buildings in Zagreb Damaged by Latest Quake, No Casualties Reported - more HERE

15:02 Zagreb sent help to Petrinja
The city of Zagreb sent two intervention teams, a team with a container and firefighters trained to rescue from the rubble, a special container containing equipment to rescue from the rubble, 100 beds and five tents. Assistance is also provided by eight Zagreb ambulance teams and volunteers from the City Society of the Red Cross.

"Once again, we appeal to the citizens of Zagreb to ensure the unimpeded passage of emergency vehicles on the roads."

14:58 The Zagreb - Sisak highway will be free today and tomorrow
"Please inform the public through media channels that Croatian Motorways will provide all users with a free toll on the Zagreb-Sisak motorway from 3 pm to tomorrow until 10 pm."

14:54 More footage from Petrinja and Zagreb

14:53 Live from Petrinja

14:47 Head of Seismological Service: One big fault has started
"We have more epicentral areas. The African plate is pushing our plate and those tensions are so strong that there is a large amount of energy being released."

14:45 Istria County: We will give priority to passes for citizens who must go there
Also, the earthquake was felt in Istria County. According to current information, there is no knowledge of possible material damage. According to the earthquake map
risk of the Republic of Croatia for a return period of 500 years, the area of the County of Istria is in the area of earthquake intensity 7 ° according to the MSK scale, which is a zone of least risk. For citizens of the County of Istria who need to go to the area where the earthquake occurred, due to family members, or real estate - the Civil Protection Headquarters of the County of Istria will issue priority passes for movement between counties.

14:44 Von der Leyen after the new earthquake: the EU is with Croatia, the commissioner arrives
"Another devastating earthquake in Croatia, the second in the past two days. I spoke with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković again. We are ready to help. I asked Janez Lenarčič to travel to Croatia as soon as the situation allows. We stand by Croatia," said Von der Leyen on Twitter. 

14:43 Vučić: We are ready to provide any assistance to Croatia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says Serbia is ready to provide any assistance to Croatia after the violent earthquake. 

14:43 Due to the earthquake of the overloaded mobile and fixed network, the operators sent an appeal
"BECAUSE of the devastating earthquake that hit Petrinja and its surroundings, and was felt throughout Croatia and beyond, there was a heavy load on all mobile and fixed networks and users are asked to use telecom services reasonably to make connections more accessible to all who need help."

14:41 Hundreds gathered in front of the Zagreb hospital, patients carrying babies in their arms - PHOTOS

14:39 There are at least 20 injured in Petrinja
Two with serious injuries, 18 with minor ones, these are just those who were transported to the Sisak hospital. As a reminder, patients are also transported to Zagreb hospitals.

14:39 Milanovic: The center of Petrinja looks like Grozny in Chechnya
"The city center looks like Grozny in Chechnya. People are scared," Milanovic said.

"Petrinja will be renovated with money from the EU, I can tell you that for sure," he added

14:33 HEP: Turn off electricity 
Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP) has asked customers to turn off electricity to prevent network congestion when power is restored.

Parts of Zagreb are without electricity, and there is no electricity in cities affected by the earthquake.

14:33 Passes are revoked
Passes for the Sisak-Moslavina County are being canceled, and beyond, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told Jutarnji list. A decision is awaited to see what exactly that means.

14:29 PHOTO Earthquake severely damages the Ministry of Defense in Zagreb
The devastating earthquake with the epicenter near Petrinja, which was felt throughout Croatia at 12.19 pm, was 6.2, the Seismological Service reported, noting that material damage was expected. 

14:28 Huge damage to the Sisak hospital. 
The director of the Sisak hospital, Tomislav Dujmenović, told HRT that the damage to the hospital caused by the violent earthquake was enormous. 

14:23 Arena Zagreb will take care of coronavirus patients from Sisak-Moslavina County
Arena Zagreb Hospital will take care of COVID patients from Sisak-Moslavina County, it was announced on Tuesday.

14:22 What to do during and after an earthquake. Here are the important instructions
We urge citizens, if they are able, to go out into the open and move away from buildings that are in danger of collapsing," police said.

They also urged people to get off the roads.

"We urge citizens to stay away from the roads where there is traffic, and we ask drivers to pay attention to children and other people who move near the roads," warns the Ministry of the Interior. They warn drivers to reduce speed. 

14:20 Mayor of Sisak in tears: It's bad, half of the city administration building collapsed
The mayor of Sisak, Kristina Ikić Baniček, responded immediately after the earthquake to HRT's show "Studio 4" and said that the situation in Sisak was quite bad and that the quake was much stronger than yesterday. She added that all the people who were in the city administration building ran outside and half of the building collapsed.

14:15 Appeal in Zagreb: Remove cars from the road, emergency services cannot pass
After a strong earthquake in Petrinja, which was also felt in Zagreb and caused damage to previously damaged buildings, the Office for Emergency Management of the City of Zagreb appealed to Zagreb residents to get off the roads with cars because emergency services cannot pass. 

14:09 An Al Jazeera reporter reported live when the quake struck

14:08 Plenković: We will lift everything
Plenković arrived in Petrinja. "We are lifting everything, we have to put people somewhere, we are sending helicopters to pick up people," Plenković said.

14:07 Dumbović: We have dead children
"This has nothing to do with life. My city is completely destroyed. We have dead children. It can't be described. This is like Hiroshima. We need firefighters, we don't know what's under the surface, a roof fell on one car, we need help," said mayor of Petrinja Darinko Dumbović for HRT.

14:06 There are collapsed chimneys in Varaždin
In Varaždin County at 12:19 an earthquake was felt, which had its epicenter near Petrinja with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale. The County Center 112 and the Fire Operations Center received reports of about 10 collapsed chimneys and several cracks in the walls, mostly from the southern and southwestern part of the County, by 1.30 pm.

So far, no reports of injuries to citizens or major material damage have been received - said the Civil Protection Headquarters of Varaždin County.

13:56 There are injured in Zagreb
The information was published by Croatian Radio.

13:55 Bringing the injured from Petrinja
Prof. Slavko Sabalic, head of the Clinic for Traumatology in Draskoviceva, told Index that so far there is no information about the damage to the building, that all patients are well. "Now they are bringing the wounded from Petrinja and Sisak, I invited all the staff to come and we are all on standby," said Sabalic.

13:50 A girl died in an earthquake in Petrinja
The information was confirmed for HRT by Mayor Dumbović.

13:45 Petrinja collapsed after the earthquake

13:44 Everyone went to help Petrinja

13:39 EMSC: Earthquake felt by about six million people
The European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) estimated on Tuesday that a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Petrinja was felt by six million people, according to Richter.

The US Geological Survey's (USGS) earthquake hazard program estimated that the quake was felt in Croatia in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Austria.

13:38 Damage in Krapina-Zagorje County
After a strong earthquake that hit Croatia on Tuesday at 12.20 pm, reports of damaged buildings in Zabok, Klanjec and Kumrovec in the Krapina-Zagorje County, confirmed the prefect Željko Kolar.

Kolar said that the earthquake was felt in the entire county and that there was material damage.

"Several mayors and prefects have already called me. They said that their places and cities were damaged, that there was material damage. I just hope there are no human casualties, no more serious injuries. I still don't know that," said the prefect.

Emergency services went to the scene, and Kolar said that he could confirm that calls had come from the area of ​​the towns of Zabok and Klanjec and the municipality of Kumrovec for the need for firefighters' intervention.

"There are destroyed chimneys and we will have to remove the remains," said Kolar, adding that the earthquake was strongly felt in Krapina as well.

"There is damage to the County building. The walls have cracked both inside and out, but they are not of such proportions that one could not stay in the building. Right now, our janitors are inspecting to see the condition of the chimneys, because it is a busy street, so that it does not accidentally fall on someone, God forbid that someone gets hurt," said the Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect.

13:37 Međimurje on standby
The earthquake was also felt in the area of ​​Međimurje County, and the Civil Protection Headquarters of Međimurje County calls on the municipal and city Civil Protection Headquarters to check the possible damage in their area. All information can be obtained from the emergency services at 112.

All available forces in Međimurje have been made available to the population in the function of maximum readiness. According to the first information, the health institutions in the area of ​​Međimurje County did not suffer any damage.

13:35 Damage in Karlovac as well
A strong earthquake that hit Petrinja was also felt in Karlovac County. ŽVOC Karlovac records citizens' reports of damage to buildings in the area of Karlovac and Duga Resa. Firefighters are touring the locations according to reports from citizens, and given a large number of calls, citizens are asked to be patient.

Earlier this morning, at the command of the chief fire commander, due to the need to help eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County, three firefighters were sent with the JVP of Karlovac and two firefighters with DVD Vojnić. Due to today's earthquake, an Intervention Fire Brigade of 30 firefighters will be sent to Petrinja with the necessary equipment and techniques for rescuing from the rubble, including the K-9 team of DVD Karlovac.

13:28 The gasworks announced what needs to be done
"We ask citizens to close the gas at the main valve located in the yellow cabinet at the building only in cases if they smell gas and if their chimney is broken or damaged, and to inform the City Gasworks Zagreb on 0800 400 400 or 01 6437 755, 01 6302 382, 01 6437 741. It is recommended to close the valve in front of the gas meter. "

13:27 Milanović is also on his way to Petrinja
A spokesman for the President's Office, Nikola Jelic, confirmed to Hina that President Milanovic was on his way to Petrinja.

13:26 Drone: All emergency services have been launched
Firefighters and all necessary services have been launched and are on their way to Petrinja to provide assistance, Civil Protection Director Damir Trut said on Tuesday after the quake, advising citizens to monitor the situation carefully and leave damaged facilities if they can.

Emergency number 112, ambulance and firefighters and all lines are operational and I believe that citizens will be able to contact them, Trut told N1 television on the way to Petrinja.

Answering a journalist's question, he said that, according to the information at his disposal, hospitals in Zagreb do not have major damage.

13:25 Earthquake near Petrinja caused unrest among BiH residents
A strong earthquake that hit Petrinja on Tuesday was also felt in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the ground trembled for about twenty seconds.

The quake affected most of the neighboring country, from Bihac to Sarajevo.

The quake caused unrest among residents of the neighboring state.

"Dnevni avaz" reports that there are reports of minor material damage to the facilities.

13:23 Zagreb police announced
On Tuesday, the Zagreb Police Department called on citizens to use personal vehicles only in emergencies.

They also call on citizens to follow other recommendations in the event of an earthquake.

There is a traffic collapse in Zagreb after a violent earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale with the epicenter near Petrinja. Most of the city is without electricity, and there is a traffic collapse on the roads.

13:21 Krško nuclear power plant stopped
The Krško nuclear power plant was stopped according to the usual procedure in case of major natural disasters, according to the agency - more HERE

The power plant was built to be resistant to much stronger earthquakes than those recorded so far in Slovenia or Croatia.

Its construction would withstand an impact of 7.9 degrees, which was the strongest devastating earthquake in the area of today's Slovenia, the one from the vicinity of Idrija in 1511.

13:20 Plenković is on his way to Petrinja
"On the way to Petrinja after another devastating earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County, which was felt in many parts of Croatia. We mobilized all available services to help people and clear the destroyed parts. Now the most important thing is to save lives," Plenković wrote on Twitter.

13:15 Child killed
Mayor of Petrinja has revealed that one child has died - more HERE

Mayor Darinko Dumbović confirmed to 24 Sata that a child was killed in the earthquake in Petrinja. As he says, half of the city is destroyed.

"This is terrible. There are dead, there are injured. We saw one child die in the square. The center of Petrinja is destroyed. Our seven engineers were left buried in this building, but we managed to get them out. This is a disaster, send all the help you have," one of the engineers who went to assess the damage told us.

The area of Petrinja was hit by an earthquake of 6.2 on the Richter scale shortly after noon, reports EMSC.

13:10 The first footage of the earthquake arrives HERE

13:08 All services mobilized
All services were mobilized to help Petrinja.

13:06 Petrinja was destroyed
Screams and cries can be heard on the recordings of N1 Television, whose reporters appear live. A reporter reported that one child appeared to have been killed.

12:58 Kuk: Extremely strong earthquake
"6.2 magnitude, it is an extremely strong earthquake, there was an epicenter between Petrinja and Sisak. This earthquake is about thirty times stronger than the one in Zagreb due to the released energy. Zagreb is collapsing," Kuk told N1.

12:51 Police: Get out in the open, get away from buildings
"We urge citizens to go out into the open if they are able and move away from buildings that are in danger of collapsing," the police said.

12:47 Rescued child in Petrinja

12:44 Reactions to the terrible earthquake, felt across the country: "Literally the houses were swaying"

STRONG earthquake throughout Croatia. According to the EMSC, the power was 6.3 on the Richter scale, and the epicenter was 3 kilometers from Petrinja. After that quake, another smaller one was felt. More on Index.

12:43 There is no electricity or telephone in parts of Croatia

12:42 LIVE Video stream from the center of Zagreb after the violent earthquake

12:36 House collapsed on a car - "We managed to get one child out, he was in the car, everything collapsed, the owner is inside, but he is not answering," the young man told N1. "It's hard, I heard that the kindergarten collapsed, there were no children in the kindergarten, we don't know if we have any dead ...", says another.

(Source N1)

12:33 In Sisak, half of the sports hall was allegedly demolished.

12:30 - The view from Petrinje (credit N1)