Officials on Wednesday said the Nov. 26 earthquake in Albania caused 985 million euros (1.1 billion dollars) in damage, and also affected economic growth.
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Bledi Cuci told a conference in Tirana, the ATA news agency reported.
The quake struck the densely populated Adriatic coast near Albania’s second-largest city, Durres, killing 51 people and injuring hundreds.
Cuci said 202,291 people in 11 municipalities were affected, adding that authorities surveyed around 50,000 damaged buildings.
The World Bank country manager, Evic Suko, said the earthquake caused damage totalling 7.5 per cent of Albania’s gross domestic product (GDP) and caused the economy to slow down.
“The growth rate at the end of last year is down and this trajectory is projected for this year as well, the forecast of 3.5 per cent growth was revised down to 3.2 per cent.
The UN chief in Albania, Brian Williams, urged Albania to improve the framework for safer construction.
Albanian authorities have charged dozens of people involved in the construction and licensing of the collapsed structures.
The European Union plans to hold a donor conference on Feb. 17 to help Albania which is close to starting membership talks with the bloc cope with the aftermath of the earthquake.
NAN
