Albania earthquake: Search for victims officially ends as death toll reaches 51

At least 2,000 injured and 4,000 homeless

The search and rescue operation for earthquake survivors in Albania has ended, with the death toll at 51 and no more bodies believed to be in the ruins.

Prime minister Edi Rama said preliminary figures show more than 1,465 buildings in the capital of Tirana, and around 900 in nearby Durres, were seriously damaged in Tuesday’s 6.4-magnitude pre-dawn quake.

Around 2,000 people were injured.

Preliminary figures estimate at least 4,000 people are homeless, with around 2,500 given shelter in hotels. Others have been taken to neighbouring Kosovo or have moved to eastern areas of Albania.

Mr Rama has pledged all homeless will be in “stronger homes” in 2020.

The first seriously damaged building has been demolished, and a dozen others are expected to follow.

Assessment experts from Greece, France, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Latvia are involved.

A new draft law will sentence all investors, architects and supervisors to seven to 15 years in prison for violating construction regulations.

Those violations and corruption in Albania’s burgeoning building industry have been blamed for much of the earthquake’s effects.

The government has set up financial compensation for families of the victims, including 1m lek (£7,000) per family, special pensions for elders and scholarships for children.

Government and private calls for donations have raised around £12.8m in three days.

Global pop stars of Albanian origin Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and Bebe Rexha have made appeals via social media.

Ora said she would help build a home for a homeless family and “myself directly help these families as much as I can”.

Associated Press