ADRA respons to two earthquakes in Croatie as new year begins.

CROATIA (January 7, 2021) – On December 28, the Sisak-Moslavina county in central Croatia was rocked by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. The following day, another earthquake measured at 6.4 magnitude, struck the town of Petrinja, which was strong enough to be felt, according to local sources, throughout Croatia and neighboring countries. 

Reportedly, there were seven casualties, 26 people injured, and more than 60,000 people affected.   

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) begun a needs assessment on January 2 in nine villages in the Glina county where ADRA already serves. 

“Many people are in need of roof repairs, shelter, food, non-food items and clean water,” says Slavica Marceta, country director for ADRA in Croatia, whose team has been on the ground meeting with several households.

Marceta added that there has been low to no signal using a mobile phone posing a challenge communicating with volunteers in the field. She also shared that security is a high priority as there have been reports of theft. “We are trying to share location of our storage carefully, but on a need-to-know basis to protect our supplies,” Marceta says. 

ADRA volunteers have been dispatched to distribute 200 hot meals to much needed areas, thanks to a local caterer and authorities the team partnered with. 

“We are preparing to expand a call center to continue keeping up with developments and urgent needs of the affected population who are under our care,” says Marceta. “Our highest priority is to ensure that individuals and families can receive help to apply for government assistance.”

Thomas Petracek from ADRA Europe has joined the ADRA team in Croatia. He is supporting the emergency response team. He is reporting about the huge damage done by earthquake and aftershocks in the area of Glina: “The main area where ADRA is responding belongs to the poorest region in Croatia. The main income is agriculture and livestock. The area was also hit hard by the war in 1995. The people are under enormous stress because the aftershocks still continue, they stay in poor conditions (cars, camping trailers…), their houses are damaged or destroyed, the winter weather conditions very challenging because of cold and humidity, the perspective of the people are very limited.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you can support people during these difficult times, please donate through your local ADRA office or directly to ADRA Hrvatska. THANK YOU!