Zagreb earthquake measured at 5.5 on the Richter scale, strongest in 140 years.

The earthquake that hit Zagreb early on Sunday morning had a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale and it was followed by another two stronger tremors; strong quakes are usually followed by a number of tremors that cannot be predicted, Seismological Service head Ines Ivancic told a press conference. “This morning’s earthquake, which occurred a little after 6 this morning, measured 5.5 on the Richter scale and its epicentre was in Markusevac and Cucerje in eastern Zagreb. After that, two stronger tremors were felt, particularly in Zagreb and its surroundings, one was 5.0 and the other 3.7 on the Richter scale,” Ivancic said after a meeting of the country’s top officials. She added that when a strong earthquake occurs, it is most often followed by a number of tremors but they cannot be predicted. According to the information from the children’s hospital in Zagreb, a 15-year-old child who was admitted to that institution after having been seriously injured in Sunday morning’s quake, is in a crititcal condition. The head of Croatia’s Civil Protection Authority, Damir Trut, said on Sunday there were also several injured people in this morning’s earthquakes but the injuries were light. Due to the possible aftershocks, people were advised to stay outside and to remain apart from one another following the outbreak of the COVID-19 infection. Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Sunday that seismological and construction experts would make quick assessments of how much buildings in the centre of zagreb were safe following three quakes that hit the capital city in the morning. The situation is additionally complicated due to the outbreak of the coronavirus infection, he admitted in an extraordinary news conference.