TIRANA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 261 buildings were totally damaged by the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit Albania on Nov. 26, Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama said here on Monday.
Rama made the statement at the meeting of the National Reconstruction Committee that convened for the second time in the wake of the earthquake which claimed 51 lives.
"According to a current report on the damages caused by the earthquake, there are at least 261 buildings assessed as totally damaged," Rama said.
Meanwhile, there are a total of 851 buildings with significant and medium damage which need repair, he added.
Rama said that in the port city of Durres, most-affected by the earthquake, 438 buildings will be demolished due to severe damages.
A total of 500 engineers, along with 81 experts from 11 other countries, are working in the field to inspect the affected areas, according to Rama.
The prime minister announced that a preliminary report on the damages will be released on Dec. 16, and a final report will be ready by the end of January 2020.
