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Albania Death Toll Rises to 30 as State of Emergency Declared

Armand Mero

   TIRANA, DURRëS, THUMANë - The death toll from the strongest
   earthquake to hit Albania in more than three decades rose to at least
   30 Wednesday, as the country observed a day of mourning.

   Her voice trembling, Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka read the names of
   the victims.

   Among the deaths, which included children, were at least 14 people
   killed in the coastal city of Durrës, at least 15 in Thumanë, and at
   least one in Kurbin. Officials said the death toll could increase
   further, with several people still unaccounted for. Hundreds of others
   were taken to hospitals with injuries.

   The government declared a state of emergency for the areas affected the
   most, as rescue crews continued to work to pull people from the rubble.

   Rescue teams and specialized crews were dispatched from neighboring
   Kosovo, Italy and Greece.

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