Strong quake hits Albania; at least 2 dead, 150 injured

Tirana (Albania), Nov 26 (AP) A strong earthquake shook Albania early Tuesday, killing at least two people, injuring 150 and collapsing buildings. The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.4 quake was centered 30 kilometers northwest of the capital, Tirana. It was at a depth of 20 kilometers.

The Defense Ministry said a person in Kurbin, 50 kilometers north of Tirana, died after jumping from his home to escape shaking from the quake. Another person was killed when a building collapsed in Durres, 33 kilometers west of Tirana, emergency officials said. Rescuers were working to take out other people from the building.

The quake was felt along the Albanian coast. People reported seeing cracks in their apartment walls. People were seen leaving homes to go to open areas.

Local media reported that a restaurant was destroyed in western Durres, where army soldiers were helping people get out of a collapsed building. At least three apartment buildings and the power distribution station were damaged in the northern commune of Thumane.

An earthquake in September in roughly the same area damaged hundreds of homes. (AP) NSA

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)