Minister says demolition of quake-damaged facilities to begin this week

(Hina) - The demolition of buildings that pose the most risk to citizens in the earthquake-hit areas will start this week, Construction Minister Darko Horvat said after a meeting with representatives of the civil engineering profession on Monday.

He noted that the meeting held today was a continuation of dialogue launched with the competent professionals to define an effective concept of organised reconstruction in the earthquake-affected areas, noting that a meeting was held last Friday at the Croatian Standards Institute at which inputs necessary for possible correction of technical regulations were defined.

Horvat said that under discussion were all relevant inputs that would be needed in designing a strong and earthquake-resistant foundation, on which a new, classically built or prefabricated house will be built.

The minister stressed that houses without appropriate project documentation would not be rebuilt.

The dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Stjepan Lakušić, said that geologists were now expected to specify where reconstruction was possible. After that, geotechnical testing will be done, after which a survey would be done to define soil properties, etc, he said.

Lakušić said that architects were working on standardised types of 50, 75 and 80-square-metre homes. He noted that the reconstruction of business facilities was also being discussed.

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