At least 23 killed as 6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Albania

Ben Westcott
By Raja Razek, Alba Prifti, Ben Westcott and Rob Picheta, CNN
Updated 4:57 PM EST, Tue November 26, 2019
World News
TOPSHOT - Emergency workers clear debris at a damaged building in Thumane, 34 kilometres (about 20 miles) northwest of capital Tirana, after an earthquake hit Albania, on November 26, 2019. - Four people died and some 150 were slightly injured in Albania after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in decades, rocked the Balkan country early Tuesday. The epicentre of the quake was about 34 kilometres (about 20 miles) northwest of Tirana, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. (Photo by Gent SHKULLAKU / AFP) (Photo by GENT SHKULLAKU/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - Emergency workers clear debris at a damaged building in Thumane, 34 kilometres (about 20 miles) northwest of capital Tirana, after an earthquake hit Albania, on November 26, 2019. - Four people died and some 150 were slightly injured in Albania after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in decades, rocked the Balkan country early Tuesday. The epicentre of the quake was about 34 kilometres (about 20 miles) northwest of Tirana, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. (Photo by Gent SHKULLAKU / AFP) (Photo by GENT SHKULLAKU/AFP via Getty Images)
GENT SHKULLAKU/AFP via Getty Images
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CNN  — 

At least 23 people have been killed, several more are missing and hundreds have been injured after an earthquake struck Albania on Tuesday.

The quake, which had a preliminary rating of 6.4 magnitude, hit the European nation at an approximate depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles) early Tuesday local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. It is the strongest to hit Albania in 40 years.

The epicenter was in the port city of Durres, about 36 kilometers (22 miles) from the capital Tirana. Social media videos from the area show several buildings have collapsed.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office revised the death toll upwards several times on Tuesday. At least four victims died in Durres, spokesman Endri Fuga told CNN. Another two died in Thumane, one person died after jumping from a building in panic in Kurbin, and one victim died while driving on a badly damaged road in Lezhe, the spokesperson added.

Around 45 people were rescued from the rubble, Fuga told CNN, and more than 650 people have received medical attention throughout the day. He added that 30 people are being treated in hospitals.

Fuga did not want to speculate on how many people may still be missing, but added that search and rescue teams would continue working throughout the night in the affected areas.

Nearby Bosnia and Herzegovina was also struck by an earthquake on Tuesday morning, the country’s interior ministry told CNN. That quake had a 5.4 magnitude rating.

An aerial photo taken on Wednesday, November 27, shows emergency crews searching the rubble of a collapsed building in Thumane, Albania, the day after a devastating earthquake struck the region.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
An aerial photo taken on Wednesday, November 27, shows emergency crews searching the rubble of a collapsed building in Thumane, Albania, the day after a devastating earthquake struck the region.
A family shelters at a makeshift camp for earthquake survivors in Durres, Albania, on November 27.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
A family shelters at a makeshift camp for earthquake survivors in Durres, Albania, on November 27.
Tents are pitched at the soccer stadium in Durres for those sheltering in the aftermath of the earthquake on November 27.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
Tents are pitched at the soccer stadium in Durres for those sheltering in the aftermath of the earthquake on November 27.
People queue to receive food at a camp for quake survivors in Durres.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Petros Giannakouris/AP
People queue to receive food at a camp for quake survivors in Durres.
Members of the emergency services work to remove debris from a damaged building in Durres.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Visar Kryeziu/AP
Members of the emergency services work to remove debris from a damaged building in Durres.
Crews search for survivors in the rubble of a building in Durres on November 26.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Crews search for survivors in the rubble of a building in Durres on November 26.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama visits areas affected by the earthquake on November 26.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Olsi Shehu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama visits areas affected by the earthquake on November 26.
A doorframe remains standing amid the rubble of a collapsed building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
A doorframe remains standing amid the rubble of a collapsed building in Thumane.
People grieve at the site of the disaster in Durres.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
People grieve at the site of the disaster in Durres.
Soldiers and rescue workers carry an injured man who was found in the debris of a collapsed building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
Soldiers and rescue workers carry an injured man who was found in the debris of a collapsed building in Thumane.
Emergency personnel work at the site of a damaged building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
Emergency personnel work at the site of a damaged building in Thumane.
Family members gather at the site of a collapsed building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Family members gather at the site of a collapsed building in Thumane.
Emergency workers clear debris from the site of a building that collapsed in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
GENT SHKULLAKU/AFP via Getty Images
Emergency workers clear debris from the site of a building that collapsed in Thumane.
Rescuers carry the body of a 5-year old girl from the wreckage of a building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Visar Kryeziu/AP
Rescuers carry the body of a 5-year old girl from the wreckage of a building in Thumane.
Relatives of people living in a collapsed building in Thumane look on as rescuers search the rubble.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Relatives of people living in a collapsed building in Thumane look on as rescuers search the rubble.
Emergency workers carry an injured woman from the debris of a damaged building in Thumane.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Emergency workers carry an injured woman from the debris of a damaged building in Thumane.
Emergency workers clear rubble from buildings damaged in the quake.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Emergency workers clear rubble from buildings damaged in the quake.
A relative cries out as rescuers search a damaged building.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Visar Kryeziu/AP
A relative cries out as rescuers search a damaged building.
Emergency responders work in the rubble of a damaged building.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Visar Kryeziu/AP
Emergency responders work in the rubble of a damaged building.
A car is buried beneath debris at a hotel in Durres.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Uncredited/AP
A car is buried beneath debris at a hotel in Durres.
A man searches through rubble in Durres.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Stringer/AFP via Getty Images
A man searches through rubble in Durres.
Residents gather in Tirana after the quake struck.
Photos: Deadly earthquake strikes Albania
Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images
Residents gather in Tirana after the quake struck.

Rama said nearby countries, including Italy and Greece, have been assisting Albania with the recovery operation, while other European leaders have also offered their assistance.

Schools were closed in three cities – Durres, Lezhe and Tirana – after the quake.

Correction: This story has been updated to amend the distance between the quake's epicenter and Tirana.

CNN’s Stephanie Halasz, Duarte Mendonca, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Karley Wilson contributed to this article.