After a 6.2 magnitude earthquake was registered in Central Croatia, its neighbouring country Slovenia has shut down its Krsko nuclear power plant as a precautionary measure. The nuclear power plant's spokesperson gave this information on Tuesday. "I can confirm the preventive shutdown," spokeswoman Ida Novak Jerele told AFP, but could not give any further details.

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A second strong earthquake hit Croatia on Tuesday, damaging buildings and prompting authorities in Slovenia to shut down a nuclear power plant. 

According to Aljazeera, due to the earthquake at least one person - a girl was killed and several injured causing considerable damage to buildings in Petrinja, a town southeast of the capital Zagreb.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Center said an earthquake of 6.2 magnitude hit 46 kilometres (17 miles) southeast of Zagreb. Initial reports said the earthquake caused wide damage - collapsing roofs, building facades and in some cases even entire buildings.

The earthquake, which downed phone lines and sent Croatians into a state of shock, was felt throughout the country on Tuesday, as well as in neighbouring Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and as far away as Graz in southern Austria.

Al Jazeera reporters in the town of Petrinja witnessed a boy and his father being pulled from a car buried in the rubble. Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbovic said in a statement broadcast by HRT TV, "My town has been completely destroyed, we have dead children."

The same area was struck by a 5.2 earthquake on Monday and several smaller aftershocks were felt on Tuesday.

Krsko nuclear power plant 

- Krsko is Slovenia's sole nuclear power plant and lies about 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of the capital Ljubljana.

- The current 700-megawatt Westinghouse reactor was built in the former Yugoslavia and went into service in 1983. It is co-owned by Slovenia and Croatia.

- The plant provides for around 20% of Slovenia's electricity needs and 15% of Croatia's needs.

- However, environmental campaigners have previously called for its shut down because of its age and the risks of seismic activity in the region.

- It was originally due to be switched off in 2023, but Ljubljana and Zagreb decided in 2015 to extend its lifetime by another 20 years.

According to AP, Croatian seismologist Kresimir Kuk described the earthquake as 'extremely strong', far stronger than the one that hit Zagreb and nearby areas in spring. He warned people to keep out of potentially shaky, old buildings and move to the newer areas of the city because of the aftershocks.