A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit 7 kilometres north of Zagreb, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported on Sunday, adding that the epicentre was located at a depth of 10 kilometres.
17 people were injured in the earthquake, while a 15-year-old girl is in critical condition, the Croatian Interior Ministry said.
According to preliminary data, 66 buildings and 23 cars were badly damaged in Zagreb. The greatest destruction was observed in the centre of the Croatian capital.
During the earthquake, Zagreb’s cathedral, one of the most famous sights in the city, was damaged. Its south tower broke and fell down, seriously damaging the building of the archbishop's palace.
According to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, the earthquake in Zagreb was the strongest in 140 years. The authorities have urged residents in the capital to comply with the instructions of epidemiologists and maintain a distance between each other when in open spaces.
Some people have posted photos from the site, hit by the earthquake, on their social media accounts. The incident occurred just several days after the country went on lockdown amid the global coronavirus pandemic.