Quake hits Zagreb, PM appeals for social distancing as residents rush onto streets

A big earthquake struck nearby the Croatian capital Zagreb on Sunday, leaving an adolescent critically injured after a flat building in the location collapsed, the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences and a hospital official said.

Another minor was badly injured and the quake caused several fires and power blackouts in parts of the capital, hospital and emergency services said.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic called on citizens to remain outside their homes amid potential aftershocks. Plenkovic and Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic also appealed for individuals rushing onto the streets to keep social distances from each other as the united states struggles to contain the spread of coronavirus. Up to now, Croatia has reported 206 cases of the virus and one death.

"We can do our utmost to help make the best estimate of what to do right now. There are protocols with regards to an earthquake. However when it comes to an earthquake combined with global pandemic, then it is a much more complicated situation," Bozinovic told local media.

Plenkovic said the quake, with a magnitude of 5.3 according to GFZ, was the largest going to Zagreb in 140 years. It struck 6 km north of the city and was felt across the Western Balkans.

Zarko Rasic, head of the Zagreb Emergency Medicine Institute, a children's hospital, said a 15-year-old was in a critical condition after being found by a crisis services team under a collapsed building and another minor have been admitted with head injuries from a falling roof. He didn't give further information on the persons' identities.

The Zagreb Fire Department said firefighting and rescue procedures were ongoing at several locations.

Plenkovic said the army have been called directly into help tidy up debris in Zagreb and urged citizens to "stay outside and keep your distance".

"The problem is contradictory, we invited persons to stay at home to avoid spreading of the corona virus, and today we are advising them to leave their homes," Plenkovic told a press conference.

GFZ downgraded the magnitude of the quake from a short reading of 6.0.

"It lasted over 10 seconds. By far the strongest I have ever felt," one witness said, adding that it had been followed by several aftershocks.

A Reuters reporter on the scene saw a church bell tower damaged, some buildings fell down as people fled apartments and took to the streets.

The federal government convened an urgent cabinet meeting and said it could hold another press conference on Sunday afternoon.

THE UNITED STATES Geological Survey said the quake measured 5.4, as the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) also reported 5.3 magnitude, followed by another 5.1 magnitude earthquake.