A strong earthquake shook parts of North Macedonia southwest of the capital of Skopje early on Wednesday morning, and another one was registered in the afternoon, local media reported.

According to the Seismology Laboratory at Skoplje University, the earthquake measured five degrees on the Richter scale, shaking the Tetovo-Gostivar area at 4:54 am, the plusinfo portal said.  

A new tremor measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale hit the country at 2:.25 pm, the European Mediterranean Center for Seismology said later on Wednesday. The epicentre was 20 kilometres southwest of Gostivar. 

According to North Macedonia’s media, the earthquake was also felt in the region.

Earlier, the European and Mediterranean seismological centre said the tremor was felt in neighbouring Albania.

The earthquake caused the turbidity in the water supply network in that rural part of the country, but, according to the available information, did not cause material damage.