On this day - July 26, 1963, the people of Skopje woke up to the greatest natural disaster that befell the city. At 5:17 a.m., the ground beneath Skopje shook with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale.
The earthquake left behind ruins, claimed 1,070 lives, and injured around 3,000 people. Over 200,000 residents were left homeless. But it also turned Skopje into a city of solidarity – humanitarian aid for the reconstruction of the city arrived from all sides.
And the United Nations took actions to plan and long-term to help the devastated city. On September 23, 1963, 35 countries asked the General Assembly to put on the agenda of its session an item for taking measures on the occasion of the earthquake in Skopje. Later, on September 27, the General Assembly gave priority to the international action to provide aid to Skopje.
On October 14, the General Assembly of the United Nations unanimously adopted a Resolution to provide assistance to the Yugoslav government in the reconstruction of Skopje, expressing regret for the great disaster. In the debate on providing aid to Skopje, the General Assembly listened to the presentation of representatives from over 20 countries from all continents. That day remained in the annals of the United Nations as the day of Skopje.
Today, the 60th anniversary of the earthquake in the capital will be marked with a series of activities in several locations throughout Skopje, and below we highlight some photos from July 26, 1963.
