Croatian President Zoran Milanovic on Friday visited the towns of Sisak and Petrinja in central Croatia which had been hit by a massive earthquake in December, noting astutely that 'the damage is extensive' and that 'reconstruction should begin as soon as possible.'

Milanovic had arrived in Sisak by train and was greeted by Sisak mayor Kristina Ikic-Banicek at the railway station, which had also sustained severe damage in the earthquake. During his visit, a new 3.8 magnitude tremor struck the area.

Milanovic visited several damaged buildings in the city centre, as well as a local housing container settlement for survivors.

Mayor Ikic-Banicek informed him that about 600 buildings in town have been labelled red, meaning they are unfit for use, and about 1,200 more were labelled yellow, so they are demeed temporarily unusable.

As a result, about 1,800 more people need safe accommodation to live in, and another 250 have signed up to use housing containers. To date, about 200 containers have been set up in seven separate settlements, with about 500 locals currently living in them.

In a local textile factory called Zlatna Igla (“Golden Needle”), company owner Milan Stojanovic told the president about the damage to the factory’s buildings and machinery. The quake caused the factory to suspend operations, and only about 20 percent of its normal workforce is currently engaged in repairing the damage.

President Milanovic also visited the Sisak General Hospital where director Tomislav Dujmenovic informed him about working in such extraordinary conditions.

After Sisak, President Milanovic went to the village of Nebojan near Petrinja, where he will tour a family-owned confectionery business, and then he is scheduled to meet with members of the task force dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake at the Petrinja army barracks.