Moderate earthquake kills two, injures dozens in Serbia

Moderate earthquake kills two, injures dozens in Serbia

2010-11-03 16:39:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

KRAGUJEVAC, SERBIA (BNO NEWS) -- A moderate 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck central Serbia on early Wednesday morning, killing two people and injuring scores of others, officials said.

The 5.4-magnitude earthquake at 1.56 a.m. local time (00.56 GMT) was centered about 2 kilometers (1.2 mile) east of Kraljevo, a city and municipality not far from Kragujevac, the fourth largest city in the European country. It struck about 2 kilometers (1.2 mile) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

According to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, a couple was killed when their home collapsed in Grdica, a town in the municipality of Kraljevo. More than 50 others were injured in the region near the epicenter, although most of them suffered only minor injuries.

The quake, while relatively low in magnitude, was unusual for Serbia which is rarely hit by earthquakes. Buildings throughout the region sustained damage in the earthquake and debris could be seen on the streets.

Officials in the municipality of Kraljevo declared a state of emergency to respond to the disaster, which caused the interruption of electricity and water to some parts of Kraljevo.

Nearly two dozen minor aftershocks rattled the area after the main event, without causing further damage.

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