At least 21 killed as powerful quake hits Albania

The death toll from a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Albania on Tuesday has risen to 21, the Albanian government's director of communications Endri Fuga said, adding that as many as 350 people have been injured in the incident.

Around 45 people were rescued from the rubble through the day, and 30 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals, Fuga told CNN.

The epicentre of the quake which occurred at around 3:54 am (local time), was located at a depth of 30 kilometres, about 9.5 kilometres northwest of Shijak town, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Of the 21 casualties, four died in Durres, two in Thumane, one person died after jumping from a building in panic in Kurbin, while one victim died while driving on a badly damaged road in Lezhe.