Dimitris Panopoulos Recalls Heartbreaking Earthquake Story in Albania

Dimitris Panopoulos, the host of ‘Weekenders’ on ANT1, left viewers deeply moved with a poignant story from his time covering the devastating 2019 earthquake in Albania. The magnitude 6.4 quake resulted in at least 51 deaths and over 900 injuries. Panopoulos was present in the neighboring country for a report and witnessed scenes that remain etched in his memory. Particularly striking was the moment he saw a trapped man succumb before his eyes. During the broadcast, Panopoulos recounted how rescue teams struggled to free people trapped under rubble. In one harrowing instance, they found a man partially exposed from the waist up but pinned down below. Rescue efforts to create an underground passage proved futile due to the immense weight above him. After 20-24 hours, the man asked for a cigarette, saying he felt he couldn’t hold on much longer. He smoked three puffs before passing away. Following the main quake, hundreds of aftershocks occurred, some exceeding 5.0 on the Richter scale, causing severe damage in Durrës and Kontar-Thumana. Many were trapped under collapsed buildings as emergency services worked tirelessly to locate and rescue over 20 individuals over several days.