Dejan Lovren offers 16 families shelter following earthquake in Zagreb
Dejan Lovren has reached out to the people of Croatia, offering to shelter 16 families following a devastating earthquake 28 miles south east of the country's capital.
Tremors were felt in a small town called Petrinja, which has a population of around 25,000 people, as a 6.3 magnitude quake struck. One child has been pronounced dead while at least 20 people are confirmed as injured.
After hearing the news, the former Liverpool defender took to his Instagram account to immediately offer help, stating that he'd be able to provide temporary accommodation for 16 families at his hotel.
In a post originally written in Croatian, Lovren said: "Dear citizens of Petrinja, I am making my hotel in Novalja available to the 16 most endangered families.
"If you need temporary accommodation, contact my team at info@joelhotel.com or Whatsapp 0996769971 with your details. Advantage of families with children."
Early reports suggest that the earthquake has caused a significant amount of property damage, collapsing entire buildings as well as rooftops. Further aftershocks, lower down on the richter scale, followed, and the quake was also felt in Zagreb, where people are said to have taken to the streets to avoid falling debris.
Croatian state news agency Hina noted that the quake was felt in 12 countries, with the centre of Petrinja particularly devastated.
The hotel Lovren owns was purchased in 2018 and is named after his children, Josip and Elena, on the island of Pag. The 31-year-old previously described the hotel as 'unique' and 'peaceful', adding that it is 'somewhere you can enjoy the restaurant and the swimming pool and the views at sundown are amazing.'
Nowadays, the former Southampton defender is plying his trade on the football field with Russian heavyweight Zenit St. Petersburg, where he was recently appointed captain. Prior to his arrival at Zenit, Lovren spent six seasons at Anfield, scooping Champions League and Premier League success in his final two campaigns.