Scores of homes rebuilt in central Albania following the earthquake in the Adriatic Sea on November 26, 2019 remain empty due to an apparent lack of interest in them by the former inhabitants as well as delays in completing basic infrastructure.

The magnitude 6.4 earthquake, which left 52 people dead and caused damage worth more than 1 billion euros, struck a few miles north of Rodon Cape, a ridge of hills overviewing the Adriatic Sea to the west, the wide Mat River plain to the north and rolling hills to the south and east. Buildings collapsed and hundreds were injured.

However, on the outskirts of hilltop village of Lalez, only one of some 49 houses rebuilt with the same layout after the earthquake is inhabited – by Agim Muharremi, a retired literature teacher and his son’s family.