A church organist has been found dead in the wreckage of a church as the building collapsed due to the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Croatia on 29th December.
Local media has reported the 15-metre-high tower topping the Parish St Nikola and Vid in the town of Žažina collapsed while 65-year-old Stanko Zec was in the building.
Inside of the Parish St Nikola and Vid in the town of Žažina
Facebook Župa sv. Nikole i Vida, Žažina
Three other people were in the church at the time but managed to escape with only minor injuries.
St Nikola and Vid church is holding the funeral of Stanko Zec today.
The earthquake was felt across the country and as far away as the Austrian capital, Vienna.
At least six other people have died including a 12-year-old girl in the southern town of Petrinja and 26 others have been slightly injured.
Many buildings have severely damaged causing many people to spend the nights in tents, cars or military barracks.
The search through the rubbles continues.
Aftershocks have continued to be felt throughout the week in Croatia. Tuesday's quake was the strongest in Croatia since the introduction of the modern seismic measurement system.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said the government will declare Saturday a day of national mourning.
Pope Francis took to Twitter to express condolences for the victims. He said: “I express my closeness to the wounded and to those who have been affected by the quake and I pray in particular for those who have lost their lives and for their families.”
The EU is preparing to send aid to the region.