At 12:19 PM CET (11:19 UTC) on 29 December 2020, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 Mw (6.2 ML) hit central Croatia, with an epicenter located roughly 3 km (1.9 mi) west-southwest of Petrinja.

[1] The maximum felt intensity was estimated at VIII (Heavily damaging) to IX (Destructive) on the European macroseismic scale.

There were nine confirmed deaths, including seven during the quake[7] and two workers from falling debris while repairing damaged structures in the aftermath,[5][6] and 26 people were injured.

In 1969, the fault system which extends from Jastrebarsko over this area towards Banja Luka had a 6.6 ML earthquake which hit the latter city, and that one was also preceded by significant foreshocks one day earlier.

The location and depth of this event show that it was an intraplate earthquake that occurred as a result of shallow strike-slip faulting within the Eurasian plate.

The calculated focal mechanism for the event indicates that rupture occurred on a nearly vertical fault striking either to the southeast or southwest.

[1] The Croatian Seismological Survey estimated the earthquake's epicentre at 45°24′0.72″N 16°13′7.32″E / 45.4002000°N 16.2187000°E / 45.4002000; 16.2187000 (45.4002, 16.2187),[3][4] located near the village of Strašnik, within the town of Petrinja.

[34] Damage and power outages were also reported in Dvor, Glina, Gvozd, Hrvatska Kostajnica, Kutina, Sisak, Sunja, Topusko, Velika Gorica, and Zagreb, as well as the neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia.

[48][49] In Pokupsko, which is roughly 20 km (12 mi) northwest of the epicenter, many buildings were damaged including a school, a kindergarten and an 18th-century church.

[51] The city of Zagreb, which is roughly 50 km (31 mi) to the north of the epicenter, was affected with some building damage, power outages, and many residents taking to the streets in distress.

[55] In counties such as Baranya, Zala, Somogy and Tolna, damage consisted of fallen plaster, cracked walls and ceilings, broken windows and, toppled chimneys.

[57] In Austria, the quake was felt with a maximum intensity of IV (Largely observed) to V (Strong) on the European macroseismic scale.

[57] Like with other countries, damage in Italy was limited, but in Trieste, near the border with Slovenia and Croatia, some buildings cracked.

[35] On 3 January 2021, a volunteer rescue worker fell to his death from a building while he was repairing damage from the earthquake.

[6] The earthquake prompted a preventive shutdown of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant in Slovenia, roughly 100 km (62 mi) away.

[86][87] The Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary, roughly 300 km (190 mi) away, also felt the earthquake, but did not cease electricity production.

[93][non-primary source needed] By the end of 2021, the state authorities in Croatia were still failing to significantly advance reconstruction of numerous towns and villages.

[94] On 11 January 2023, Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković announced that he will dismiss Ivan Paladina, Minister of Construction, Spatial Planning and State Property and Gordan Hanžek, Director of the Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing, citing the need to greatly accelerate the reconstruction process.