Bulgarian Seismologist: Quake in Croatia May Provoke Tremor in Bulgaria

Two aftershocks in Croatia with a magnitude of 4.7-4.8 on the Richter scale were registered at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the on-duty seismologist Petar Kirilov told bTV this morning.

"The earthquakes are shallow and therefore their effect is felt too strongly. This is typical of the region," he said. The sesmologist hoped there would be no more strong tremors in the area, but noted that he could not predict this accurately.

"I hope these are aftershocks and, little by little, they will subside. The effect of the aftershocks is good because it releases the tension below the Earth's surface," Kirilov said.

"However, it is quite possible that the tremors in Croatia may provoke an earthquake in Bulgaria or elsewhere in the Balkans, because we are on the same tectonic plate", the seismologist warned.

At least seven people were killed in the quake of 6.4 magnitude on the Richter Scale, which struck between the cities of Sisak and Petrinja, according to the latest reports. Dozens were injured and hospitalized.

Croatian army units arrived in the destroyed towns to help repair the damage. The destruction is huge, many buildings are completely destroyed. Our embassy has contacted a Bulgarian on the spot at the epicenter, who is well and with relatively small material damage to his property. The aftershocks continue.