The Croatian Seismological Service recorded more earth tremors of magnitude 3.8 on the Richter scale on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 12.06 hrs. The epicenter was located 6 kilometers southwest of Petrinja near the village of Strašnik.
.
The earth shook violently again in the Petrinja region. The EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) reported a quake of level 5.0 on the Richter scale. Other buildings were damaged in the process. According to local reports, the quake lasted about 10 seconds. A spokesman for the emergency services said, “We were lucky that no one was working on any of the roofs at that time, otherwise there would certainly have been casualties again.” About the actual damage, including personal injuries, is not yet further known in the extensive area.
A wave of relief is making itself felt after the severe earthquake in the Croatian region around Petrinja, which has so far claimed the lives of at least seven people. The Croatian Red Cross has set up a donation account for the earthquake victims.
High number of aftershocks
With more than half of the houses in Petrinja and surrounding towns and villages collapsed or at high risk of collapse in some places, most residents spent the night from Tuesday to Wednesday outdoors despite temperatures around freezing. The fear of further earth tremors was absolutely not unfounded. According to media reports, the quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale was followed by more than 66 tremors, although these were much weaker. As late as New Year’s Eve morning, the official authorities registered a quake with a magnitude of 3.2, further complicating the rescue forces’ sometimes dangerous work.
Strong cohesion of the Croatian people
As reports from the emergency services indicated, the affected region presented a picture of horror, but the great wave of willingness to help that immediately started from many parts of Croatia, but also from abroad, showed the earthquake victims that they can rely on the cohesion of the Croatian people, but also on the European Union, in their time of need.
Heavy clearing equipment on the ground
Heavy clearing equipment was still being shipped to the affected regions from many parts of Slovenia and Croatia on Tuesday to recover more buried victims and clear roads for rescue vehicles. To alleviate the acute housing shortage, many Croatians offered shelters and vacation homes to their compatriots whose homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the earthquake.
Mobile shelters also from Slovenia and Austria
However, most of those affected by the earthquake preferred to stay on site and help with the cleanup. In order to provide them with warm, dry and safe shelters at least for the night, a convoy of caravans and mobile homes from Porec/Istria arrived in the earthquake zone already on Wednesday morning. In addition, Austria and Slovenia also provided a larger amount of mobile shelters.
Over 100 soldiers and countless volunteers on the ground in action
More than 100 Croatian soldiers are participating in the cleanup efforts, with additional relief workers arriving hourly in the earthquake zone. Remarkable, they told SeaHelp editors, is the great solidarity of the Croatians and the fact that the willingness of the population to help goes across the generations.
Croatian Red Cross donation account for earthquake victims
Looking at the pictures SeaHelp editors received on Wednesday, one can imagine the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake. But when the last excavators have eventually left, those affected, who have lost their homes, apartments and furnishings, are usually left with a large portion of the damage. And especially in this economically weak region, it is difficult for people to even halfway absorb the damage.
The Croatian Red Cross has therefore called on its Internet page directly to donations for the earthquake victims of Petrinja and Sisak, with corresponding account numbers: Here he text (translated from English):
Notes on donations and assistance for the people affected by the earthquake in Petrinja and Sisak
You can donate cash for the people affected by the earthquake in Petrinja and Sisak through the following account:
IBAN: HR6923400091511555516
BIC ( SWIFT) code: PBZGHR2X
Bank : Privredna banka Zagreb d.d., RadniÄŤka cesta 50, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Beneficiary: Croatian Red Cross, Ulica Crvenog kriza 14, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Description: For the victims of the earthquakes in Croatia.
Donate savings from “firecracker ban” or “firecracker waiver”?
Holidaymakers who have spent the best days of the year in Croatia so far, can do a lot of good in this way with a small donation for the people of the Petrinja and Sisak region and give back some of the hospitality they have received in Croatia in recent years. Perhaps by making a small donation, you will let the Croatians, who were affected not only by Corona but also by the earthquake, feel your appreciation. Even if it is only the amount that was saved by the ban on firecrackers on New Year’s Eve – it would be well invested.
The SeaHelp editorial team would like to thank Siniša Pašić for providing the photos.
More address for monetary donations
Association – VOICE OF BUSINESS – (UGP)
PAVLETIĆEVA 1
10000 ZAGREB
SWIFT: ZABAHR2X
IBAN: HR6523600001502851531
Reason for payment: Humanitarian Aid.
Bank: ZAGREBAÄŚKA BANKA DD
Donations will be used to purchase housing containers, heaters, other equipment and building materials. We will be collecting donations through the end of February to help as many citizens as possible renovate their housing facilities. UGP will transparently publish the flow of donations and invoices to confirm what the donated funds were invested in.
Our priority is to ensure that the citizens of Petrinja , Glina , Sisak and surrounding towns have a roof over their heads in the coming winter months.