Earthquake hits central Albania

Seismologists said an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 rattled central Albania, causing minor damage to buildings but no injury.

Albania’s Seismological Department said the quake, which occurred at 2.59 am (0059 GMT) on Monday, had its epicentre 6 kilometres southeast of Belsh commune, 44 kilometres south of the capital, Tirana.

Ervin Kasaj of the Seismological Department said some houses and apartment blocks in the towns of Cerrik and Peqin, close to the epicentre, have cracks but nobody was reported hurt.