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.

ZAGREB, Dec 30, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Wednesday that there were currently 150 troops in the quake-stricken areas in Petrinja, Sisak, and Glina and another 350 were on standby adding that the local barracks would be fully occupied by local residents whose homes were damaged in Tuesday's quake.

"At the moment there are about 150 soldiers in the field in Petrinja, Glina, Sisak, and in all municipalities that expressed their need for help at a meeting of the civil protection authority today. We also have another 350 soldiers on standby," Banozic said during a cabinet meeting.

There are also five helicopters, three are in Petrinja and two in Zagreb to ensure emergency medical transport. The thing that is needed the most today is heavy machinery to remove and demolish hazardous buildings.

He commended the army and civil protection units as well as the homeland security system for their prompt organization to tend to the people. He added that teams were dispersed so that as few of them were housed in the barracks while the others were on standby.

There is room for about 500 people at the Petrinja barracks and Banozic said that last night 315 people were accommodated there, particularly the elderly from aged care facilities. This morning an additional 15 to 20 elderly people arrived in the barracks.

"I have the feeling that the barracks will be filled by this evening because a lot of people did not know how to get to the barracks yesterday and some stayed in their homes not wanting to leave. It started to rain too so I believe that tonight the barracks will be full," he underlined.

Banozic said that the military headquarters building in Zagreb suffered some minor damage in Tuesday's earthquake and that they were waiting for structural engineers to inspect the damage.

 President Zoran Milanovic, who is the supreme commander, on Wednesday toured the quake-hit areas and visited soldiers on the ground.

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.

ZAGREB, Dec 29, 2020 - Majske Poljane, a village outside Glina, about 70 kilometres south of Zagreb, was worst hit by the 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, the deputy mayor of Glina, Branka Baksic Mitic, said.

"There are hardly 10 percent of houses here that have been left intact. People are still being pulled out from under the rubble. Glinsko Novo Selo was also hit severely, but there are no casualties there. The largest number of casualties are here," Baksic Mitic told the Index.hr news website.

She said that tents were being set up on a football field in Glina for people who have been left homeless by the earthquake. She appealed for shipping containers to use them for accommodation. "It's winter and these people have nowhere to stay," she said.

Baksic Mitic confirmed that four people had been found dead buried underneath the rubble.

Glina Primary School said it had opened the doors of its gym to people without shelter.

You can follow live updates here.