Bucharest is the EU capital that is most at risk from earthquakes, many seismologists believe. And with hundreds of vulnerable old buildings suffering from decades of neglect, many residents of the Romanian capital are living in fear for their lives.

Violeta and Asaad Hussein have been trying to get the structure of the building reinforced for 21 years. Works have been started but left unfinished. The bad experiences are building up.

“Once there was an earthquake a bit bigger than the others,” says Violeta. “It was during the night. The owners of the apartments on the 5th and 6th floors of this building – and those from the buildings around – we all rushed downstairs in our nightgowns and gathered in the street below. This really… it really happened to us.”