How many times have you heard – Misfortunes Never Come Alone. Sound familiar? What we experienced in Croatia last year hasn’t been seen over the last 100 years.
It’s been a couple of years since I wrote my last post here on domainsFLOW. I was thinking back then things will go by itself, almost automatic. But they never do. At least not for me. Now I’ve decided to make a turn and make it on a personal level.
We’re all facing tough and challenging times right now and our current environment is quite different than it was just a year ago. Somehow I felt a need to write about unbelievable timeline of events that took place over the past year in Croatia.
It has been proved many times that accident and tragedy induce in us what we have somewhow lost and that is Solidarity. And yes it comes with big S. Why?! I’ll get to that later but lets first go back at the beginning of 2020.
During the lockdown I discovered my new passion
In mid-March 2020 we all were in quarantine and under Covid-19 lockdown. Never in modern history have people been suggested not to work, to stay at home all day, and to keep a safe distance from each other.
Some things in my house I’ve been putting off for a long time I decided to finally make. Like installing insulation in the attic I’ve been delaying for 2 years (I don’t want to do this again, believe me).
During this time I discovered my new passion gardening and I might write something about this topic. Btw this passion holds me to this day and it certainly helps to boost positive mood. I definitely recommend try the gardening.
Powerful earthquake hit capital Zagreb
During the coronavirus on 22nd March 2020 an earthquake of magnitude 5,3 hit the capital Zagreb. It was the biggest in Zagreb in the last 140 years.
A total of 27 people were injured, of whom one teenage girl died succumbing to her injuries. Over 1,900 buildings are reported to have become uninhabitable by the earthquake damage.
It’ll be almost a year now and the people of damaged buildings still live in temporary accommodation. Their agony and uncertainty lasts too long.
Promises for these people no longer mean anything, trust in the system disappears. They just want their own roof back.
Devastating earthquake hit central Croatia
On 29th December 2020 an earthquake of magnitude 6,4 hit central Croatia. The town of Petrinja was the worst affected, with many buildings destroyed and a major power outage.
Seven people were confirmed dead, while 26 others were injured. Despite the distance more than 200 km, we who live in the city of Rijeka felt the rocking.
Again people have shown when it’s hardest they are willing to help. From all parts of Croatia people came to help the damaged area.
In these horrible days everyone helps according to their possibilities, some clean up the mess, others bring food, cook, offer accommodation, money donations…the list is long.
Nobel Prize-winning writer Ivo Andrić who knew the mentality of our people has a famous quote:
Nothing can connect people as a common and happily experienced accident.
~ Ivo Andrić
I sincerely hope this will eventually be a happily experienced accident.
How durable solidarity is?
You must know that the cities of Petrinja, Sisak and Glina affected by earthquake are among the most economically underdeveloped in Croatia. The population is mostly older and engaged in agriculture.
Currently there is a huge media interest and the government is under the magnifying glass. Nevertheless people are skeptical because if the reconstruction of Zagreb hasn’t started in a year, which btw is economic center of power, what some rural areas can expect.
No wonder the most common wish for New Year 2021 we repeated as mantra was never happen again 2020.