September 21, 2019

105 people injured as a pair of strong earthquakes rattle Albania

Cars were crushed by bricks falling from buildings in Albania's capital Tirana, as the country was stuck by a pair of strong earthquakes on Saturday.According to the Ministry of Health, 105 people have been hospitalized with injuries. The majority of injuries occurred in Durres and Tirana. There have been no reported deaths.The Saturday afternoon earthquake was followed by more than 100 aftershocks, authorities report. It also damaged about 600 homes and temporarily cut power and water facilities in Tirana and Durres.According to the United State Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake struck at 4:04 p.m., on Saturday near Durres, about 18 miles (29 km) to the west of Tirana.A second earthquake struck just 11 minutes later a short distance away.
105 people injured as a pair of strong earthquakes rattle Albania

Shake Map of the larger 5.6 earthquake in Albania on Saturday, September 21, courtesy of the USGS.

The first and larger earthquake was reported as a magnitude 5.6 on the Richter Scale, which is Albania's strongest earthquake in 30 years. The second was measured to be slightly weaker at 5.1.Buildings were damaged in the town of Durres which is close to the epicenter.> A university building in Tirana pic.twitter.com/J5UVYyrJOh> > -- Fatjona Mejdini (@FatjonaMejdini) September 21, 2019> Durres albania earthquake pic.twitter.com/BWPIWvErk1> > -- Alice Taylor (@The_Balkanista) September 21, 2019

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