Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu said 68 people had been treated for injuries in Tirana and Durres. Terrified residents fled their homes and ran into the streets. Most were hurt while evacuating their homes in panic. People living in the quake zone described scenes of “panic” and “chaos” as their homes swayed and items fell off walls or shelves and shattered on the floor. In the region of Tirana, 48 houses and three apartment buildings had suffered cracks, while in Durres region 42 houses and four apartment buildings were damaged. An old building in Tirana was evacuated after cracks appeared in its walls An aftershock 11 minutes later measured 5.3.
The tremor was also felt in Kosovo and Greece, according to Twitter users. it was felt across the Adriatic Sea. Prime Minister Edi Rama canceled a trip to the United Nations annual meeting and returned to Albania to evaluate damage from the earthquake. Albania is in an earthquake-prone area and registers seismic activity every few days.
