Quake shakes Albania

TIRANA, May 30 – Two tremors shook Albania Wednesday but caused no injuries or damage.
The magnitude 2.9 temblor shook Tirana centered only five kilometers north at 12.50.
Earlier in the morning the Seismological Institute had registered another quake 1.9 magnitude in northeastern Peshkopi that also caused no damage or injuries.
But the quake caused much fear with people listening to 17 dead in nearby Italy due to the earthquakes in the last two days that continue to hit the area.
The magnitude 5.8 temblor north of Bologna on Tuesday felled old buildings and new factories and warehouses alike, many of them already weakened by a stronger quake May 20 that measured 6.0 and killed seven people.
In both quakes, the death toll was disproportionately workers toiling in factories, leading to some questions about Italy’s building codes or possible corruption.
The quake also injured some 350 people and dealt another blow to one of the country’s most productive regions at a time when Italy is struggling to restart its anemic economy amid Europe’s debt crisis. Italy’s economic growth has been stagnant for at least a decade and the economy is forecast to contract by 1.2 percent this year.
The ground continued to shake through the night, rattling the nerves of residents. Many spent the night in tent camps or their cars, too afraid to sleep at home.