Great Earthquakes In Diverse Places
2 killed, 50 injured in earthquake in Serbia
By JOVANA GEC
The Associated Press
Wednesday, November 3, 2010; 5:22 AM
KRALJEVO, Serbia -- A moderate earthquake rattled central Serbia
overnight, damaging buildings, killing at least two people and injuring
50 others, authorities said Wednesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake with a 5.3 magnitude struck
125 kilometers (75 miles) south of the Serbian capital, Belgrade, at
01:56 a.m. (0056 GMT) Wednesday.
The hardest hit area was around the town of Kraljevo where the trembler
destroyed or damaged buildings and left parts of the city without
electricity, running water or telephone lines.
Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said a couple in their 50s died
in a Kraljevo suburb when the roof of their house collapsed, while 50
people were injured elsewhere in the town.
Several mostly older buildings in the town were damaged, including
local hospital and the town hall. Several cars were destroyed from
falling concrete from the buildings.
Numerous aftershocks were felt Wednesday.
"The most important thing is that people calm down, that there is no
panic and that the city authorities function," Dacic said in Kraljevo.
The earthquake was also felt in a wider area of Serbia including
Belgrade where people were jolted from their beds, some fleeing their
homes in panic.