1.
GV PAN DEBRIS IN FOREGROUND PAN UP TO SHATTERED BUILDING
0.11

2.
GV PAN WRECKED BUILDINGS
0.20

3.
GV DITTO (4 SHOTS)
0.38

4.
GV ANOTHER WRECKED BUILDING
0.43

5.
SV MAN AND WOMAN STAND IN DEBRIS
0.47

6.
SV ARMY RELIEF LORRY
0.52

7.
LV ARMY TENT
0.56

8.
LV PAN PEOPLE IN FRONT OF WRECKED BUILDING
1.05

9.
CU PAN SMALL BOY AND BABY SITTER TO WOMAN ROCKING CHILD IN CRADLE
1.20

10.
CU CHILD SITTING IN RUINS OF HOUSE.
1.23

11.
LV & CU INJURED PATIENT IN CAR (2 SHOTS)
1.33

12.
LV & CU DOCTORS ATTEND INJURED PEOPLE IN HOSPITAL (3 SHOTS)
1.46



Initials GEM/EURO-JRT/MR/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE TODAY (THURSDAY) SHATTERED THE SOUTH YUGOSLAV TOWN OF DEBAR, LEAVING AT LEAST SEVEN CHILDREN AND ONE ADULT DEAD AND THOUSANDS HOMELESS.

THE SHOCK, ACCOMPANIED BY A TERRIFYING ROAR, LEFT 80 PER CENT OF THE BUILDING IN DEBAR UNINHABITABLE... ONLY 1,000 PEOPLE OF THE TOWN'S POPULATION OF 8,000 WERE TONIGHT ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.

THE REST, CLUTCHING WHAT POSSESSIONS THEY'D SAVED FROM THE RUBBLE, WERE BEING CARED FOR BY ARMY UNITS RUSHED TO THE SCENE WITH TENTS AND FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES.

BUT FOR THE SURVIVORS AND THE SOLDIERS THE WORST TASK LAY IN SEARCHING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE FOR PEOPLE FEARED TRAPPED BENEATH MOUNDS OF RUBBLE. FORTY PEOPLE WERE ALREADY BEING TREATED IN HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES.

RAIN BEGAN FALLING AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK, HAMPERING RESCUE WORK. THE MAIN POST OFFICE COLLAPSED, LEAVING DEBAR WITHOUT ANY TELEPHONE CONTACT WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

THE EARTHQUAKE WAS FELT OVER A WIDE AREA, INCLUDING SKOPJE 75 MILES (120 KILOMETRES) FROM DEBAR. IT WAS IN SKOPJE IN 1963 THAT A CATASTROPHIC EARTHQUAKE KILLED 1,000 PEOPLE. TODAY, WALLS IN SOME OF SKOPJE'S BUILDING WERE CRACKED.