The epicenter was reported 44 kilometers (27 miles) southeast of the capital, Zagreb, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC).
The EMSC said it was the largest earthquake to hit Croatia this year, adding that “significant damage could occur at near epicenters.”
HINA The mayor of the central Croatian city of Petrinja, Derinko Dumbovi, called for immediate emergency assistance, saying “half the city has been destroyed,” Hina reported.
Photographs of the city showed the collapsed roof of the building and the car lying under the rubble.
Dumbovi described scenes of “panic” after the quake during an interview with CNN’s Croatian affiliate N1. “There’s panic, people are searching for their loved ones,” he said.
“We’re pulling people out of the car, we don’t know if people are dead or injured. I heard the kindergarten collapsed but luckily there were no children, while in the other one the children managed to escape,” Meyer added.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrzej Plenkovi posted a tweet saying he was going to Petrinja.
“We have put together all available services to help people and clean up all broken parts,” the PM said.
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