Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Kills 7 in Croatia, Leaves Others Missing

Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Kills 7 in Croatia, Leaves Others Missing
Residents walk past debris caused by an earthquake in downtown Zagreb, Croatia, on Dec. 29, 2020. A strong earthquake hit Croatia on Tuesday, with some injuries reported as well as considerable damage to roofs and buildings southeast of the capital. Filip Horvat/AP Photo
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PETRINJA, Croatia—A strong earthquake in Croatia destroyed buildings and killed at least seven people Tuesday southwest of the capital, displacing scores of area residents or making them afraid to sleep indoors as emergency teams searched for those still missing by nightfall.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Center said the magnitude 6.3 quake hit 46 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of Zagreb just before 12:20 p.m. local time. It caused widespread damage in the hardest-hit town of Petrinja. The same area was struck by a magnitude 5.2 quake on Monday.