Defence minister balances damage in Albania, following earthquakes

Janka said that about 46 residences and 3 palaces have been damaged in Tirana alone while it's worth noting, she said there has been luckily no loss in human life.

Here's the full statement:

Dear citizens,

I know these were very disturbing watches for all of us. I want to share with you the official information before we can right now based on the data that comes to us from the field through the emergency bodies of 12 Prefectures, emergency teams in all 61 municipalities, police commissioners and hospitals to give you a full picture of the situation.

The quake that fell today, at 4:05 a.m., was at a magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale, with a intensity of 7 to 8 balls on the epicenter. The Epicentra has been in the Adriatic Sea, 30 kilometers north of Durres. The initial shock has been accompanied by several shocks, luckily with the magnitude and lower intensity.

According to experts at the Institute of Genocency, with which we are in constant contact, it is expected that the main event will be followed by other fluctuations until the stabilisation of tectonic plates. But considering the 16.05 earthquake as the main seismic event, it is good news that the subsequent shocks have marked a trend in decline, whether in magnitude or intensity.

According to official preliminary information I want to point out that this information is up-to-date minutes after the minute teams scan the situation on the ground until the moment we're talking, reports of 68 people being injured, but in all cases it's about slight injuries, which are largely due to the state of fear that citizens have experienced at the moment of the earthquake, and after receiving medical treatment, have again fled to their homes. Some of the injured were assisted by medical ambulance teams near their residence sites.

Most important, there has been no loss of life.

On the other hand, the earthquake has caused material damage, especially in Durres and Tirana, but fortunately, in the majority, it is a breach of walls or other damage to this level, though in the days ahead the seriousness of these injuries will be verified by groups of experts on the ground.

More specifically, in Tirana district, reports so far talk about:

The injuries, mostly the crack, in46 the apartment of 3 palaces in Farka, the Astiri Zone, the Day, the Paris municipality, the administrative unit 2 and 6, and the Peza, Kashar, Zalherr, and the Sharer,

In Durres County, in Shijak and Durres the city reported damage in 4 palaces and 42 dwellings, mainly old.

Seven residences have been damaged in the Librazt municipality.

In Debar County, Klos municipality, the Xiber administrative unit reports 4 damaged dwellings, of which one crash.

In the town hall, Berat has a damaged home.

In Lezha County, there's slight damage in four apartment buildings in town.

In Fyer County, there were four easy-to-be dwellings in Lushnje Basque, and the administrative unit Fier Shegan, but what's important was recently confirmed that there is no damage to the oil wells.

In the Korca municipality, no damage is reported.

Every Albanian state institution, The FA, the Ministry of Health, which has put strengthened medical staff in hospitals and emergency alerts, mayors and municipalities through their emergency teams, police commissioners, are at the helm of duty to come to the aid of citizens wherever the need may arise.

I also want to inform the citizens whose dwellings have suffered injuries, that municipalities are preparing special shelter centres to accommodate all those who may need it. In cases of need or to get any other information, citizens can contact one of the following numbers:

The unique number 112, which is for any need or urgency. And according to specific needs.

State police 129,

Firefighter:

Emergency: 127

I've been in constant contact with the prime minister who was in Frankfurt in transit to New York, where he would participate in the work of the UN General Assembly, but has decided to terminate his trip to return to Albania today. And today at 11:30, the prime minister has called a government meeting to coordinate the work of all local and central structures to meet with full alert 24 hours a day of the earthquake's impact.

In parallel, I want to re-inflate it, so are the damage assessment groups in each of the municipalities affected by earth's shocks.

I also want to stress that during these hours we have received solidarity messages and are in constant contact with our international partners who have expressed willingness to help cope with the effects of the earthquake.

I know that many citizens have experienced moments of anxiety and fear. But I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to cope. These are events that cannot be predicted or prevented. But what we can do and we're doing is to find ourselves citizens wherever and whenever they may need help.

Armed forces, state police, medical staff, emergency headquarters, mayors, municipalities, evaluation teams, and any central Albanian and local state institution is in charge of the task of coping.

We will keep you informed on a continuous basis for further measures.