TIRANA, ALBANIA: 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 centred 30 kilometres northwest of the capital, Tirana.
It was at a depth of 20 kilometres. 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.