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The Sacred Heart Jesuit church badly damaged.

At approximately 6:24 a.m. CET on the morning 22nd of March 2020, a 5.4 and 5.0 magnitude earthquake hit Zagreb, Croatia, with an epicenter 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) north of Zagreb city centre. The maximum felt intensity was VII (Very strong) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest of which with a magnitude of 4.8. It was the strongest earthquake in Zagreb since the 1880 earthquake. Many buildings in the capital cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged. Streets were littered with debris. Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of building entrances. A 15-year-old girl died after suffering severe injuries (she was a member of our Parish of the Sacred Heart), 28 others were injured, and 1000 of people had to leave their houses and flats. A strong earthquake has shaken the Croatian capital, Zagreb, bringing much of the population on to the streets after social distancing regulations to prevent the spread of coronavirus had been put in place.

Of the Jesuit Communities, the most damaged are the Sacred Heart Residence in Palmotićeva Street, which is also the seat of the Provincial Curia, and the old building of the St. Joseph’s College at Jordanovac Hill. There are many plaster falls, visible cracks in the walls and on the roofs. The level of damage to the building statics is yet to be assessed. The former Seminary building at Fratrovac Hill was less damaged, but still with some visible cracks. Newer buildings at Jordanovac and Fratrovac show minor damage.

No Jesuit was injured. Some premises and the rooms of several brethren in Palmotićeva St. and Jordanovac College have been declared unsafe so we had to find alternative accommodation for them.

The large Sacred Heart Basilica in Zagreb City Centre, a protected monument built in 1902, has suffered the worst damage. One part of the ceiling collapsed, while the rest of the ceiling remained unstable. The monumental organ has been saved because it has been out for restauration since December 2017.

The reconstruction process is delayed by many aftershocks we are still experiencing. Also, the restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 outbreak in Croatia make it more complicated. However, the Croatian Jesuit Province and the Sacred Heart Parish have already started preparations for the reconstruction of the Sacred Heart Basilica.

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