Tents set up for evacuees after Croatia quake

Authorities installed tents and brought supplies to a sports hall for evacuees in the Croatian town of Petrinja on Tuesday night, hours after it was hit by a strong earthquake.

Emergency workers set up large blue tents and people distributed food and drink at the venue.

The earthquake caused widespread damage in the hardest-hit town of Petrinja, whose mayor Darinko Dumbovic said that "to lose your loved ones in this catastrophe is like going through hell," adding that "we know that there are no words but honest compassion."

The earthquake, which the European Mediterranean Seismological Center said had a 6.3 magnitude, killed at least seven people and displaced scores of residents in the area.

"Our house has no roof, only walls, but it is all damaged, cracked," said one local resident.

"I would not even dare go inside the house."

Emergency teams were still searching for missing people by nightfall.