The earthquake epicenter was recorded in the town of Fushe-Kruje, central Albania. Tremors were felt in the cities around the epicenter, the Geosciences Institute said.

A series of aftershocks followed the initial 4.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the area of Kruja, Nikla and Tirana. The strongest aftershock measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale struck the village of Thumane.

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Meanwhile, the post-earthquake reconstruction programme is in full swing in other quake-affected areas across Albania.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, and Kruja Mayor Artur Bushi, toured the site to inspect progress of the construction work.

“An additional funding of 12 billion lek has been allocated, increasing the funding for the post-earthquake reconstruction programme for 2023 to 17 billion lek and we are confident that sufficient funding is provided to support the ongoing construction works on all sites and therefore all municipalities will now have the opportunity to advance work. A stock of around 3500 apartments have been already delivered or will be delivered until year-end, as well as more than 2200 single family homes, taking the total of constructed housing units to around 6000 to date,” Deputy Prime Minister Balluku said, adding that “as to the program on the educational infrastructure, more than 143 schools, mainly included in the EU EU4Schools programme, which are already operational as of September this year.

“Progress is being made with the reconstruction programme. We have reestablished coordination with all quake-affected municipalities, except Shijak Municipality where the reconstruction has already completed. We expect to complete the post-earthquake reconstruction programme alsi in Rrogozhine, Kavaje and Vore, whereas work will continue in Durrës and Lezhe,” Balluku added.

“The new residential buildings feature underground parking spaces, lift and communal spaces for the families that have shown patience while waiting for construction of these buildings to complete. The new buildings and their new homes and apartments are more resilient, much more beautiful and much safer than the ones they lost in the devastating earthquake. The project here was delayed mostly because of the property claims that took time to be resolved. This has been the case also in other reconstruction sites, but here was more serious,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said.

In addition to construction of new residential buildings, work is also about to complete on reinforcement of 43 existing buildings and thermal insulation systems as being installed.

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The Mayor of Kruje, Artur Bushi, on Tuesday said that construction work under the post-earthquake reconstruction programme continues after an ordeal of lasting procedures and plan changes.

“Reconstruction continues after a series of procedures, plan and project changes and  expropriation process, a challenge on its own where we made sure that no resident is denied full compensation for their property or land affected by the project,” Bushi said via a post on the social media .

“A total of 341 housing units in 22 residential buildings are being constructed in Kruje,” Mayor Bushi added.

He added that construction of three more residential buildings has yet to start, but work will kick off as soon as the due construction permits are issued in the next few days.

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After the new educational facilities constructed under the state budget funds, the new school building is part of the second bloc being built under the European Union-funded programme.

Prime Minister Edi Rama posted images showing the new school premises reconstructed after sustaining damages due to the devastating earthquake that hit the country on November 26, 2019.

“Good morning and through images of a new school that adds to the string of new educational facilities rebuilt under the post-earthquake reconstruction programme, I wish you all a nice weekend. Sherif Dervishi school in Budull, Kruje, is part of the second bloc of new schools being built under the EU-funded programme,” Rama said.

The new educational facility houses 14 classrooms, physics, chemistry and informatics labs, multifunctional hall, a library, gym and outdoor sports grounds.

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The Head of the Health Centre in Burrel district, doctor Sheme Celami told local media that no reports of side effects have been reported after a growing number of older adults are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The vaccination process is progressing very well. No complications have been reported. We are currently administering the vaccines to the seniors over 70 after a category of older people have already received the jab. As many as 710 people have received the vaccine at the healthcare centre in Burrel,” Celami said.

Meanwhile, the inoculation process continues for around three weeks in the municipality of Kruje, where more than 2234 people have received the vaccine to date.

The head of the epidemiology at the health care centre in Kruje, Ervin Karafili said that the process has continued normally according the protocol and that a growing number of people are demanding to receive the vaccine.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj, on Monday visited the newly-reborn nine-year school and kindergarten in the village of Derven, Kruja municipality.

PM Rama said that reconstruction of “Kastrioti” school is a mirror clearly reflecting the difference between the Socialist government and the previous administration that abandoned schools, children and teachers to their fate.

Ahmetaj noted that a total of 160 educational facilities are built or being built in the quake-hit areas.

“Kastrioti” school and the adjacent kindergarten has 15 classrooms, laboratories and indoor sports grounds.

Construction of this school –according to the head of the Albanian Development Fund  Dritan Agolli- though posing a challenge in terms of its location’s geology delivers highest habitability and education standards.

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