Over 400 earthquakes, a tremor-filled night

Over 400 earthquakes, a tremor-filled night

In the last 24 hours there has been 412 seismic activities, mainly tremorsof low intensity and unlikely to be felt by the average person. 

This morning, the highest intensity earthquake recorded was at 6 o'clock in the morning, with magnitude of 3.9 on the Richter scale, again in the Gjiri i Lalëzit area.

Dr. Edmond Dushi, a seismologist at the Geo-sciences Institute, says seismic activity continues to be active.

"We continue to see it in the same area, with the same characteristics as the original earthquake, though the intensity of shocks has come down. We do not have the frequency we had. They are becoming rarer and more distant in time."

"Across the region we are still seeing seismic activity, but this is mainly focused in other adjacent tectonic areas. If we look only to the spot in question, the activity has been decreasing in magnitude and in frequency. 

"In my opinion, it is, in this moment, extinguishing," offered Edmond Dushi.

In panic during the first quake many people rushed outside, leave their homes or workplaces to hurry outside. 

In fact, experts recommend that in such situations the best action to take is to remain calm and stay indoors, as exiting through the building poses significant risks. 

"In high buildings, be careful not to use the elevator and be aware that stairs are also problematic. When earthquakes are occurring and closely following each other, we must wait in areas where we are most protected. 

"Before moving, make sure that the tremor is over," explained Edmond Dushi.

The earthquake has left consequences and certainly caused panic to those living in the area where the epicenter was marked. For the Kurti family in Manëz, this was a scary night.

"They were playing in bed, but at the time of the earthquake they crawled under the bed as the tiles were falling, which could have injured the children. We are still scared," said the Kurti family.

Seismic activities have no other cause than natural ones. Seismologists say their reason is the collision of the Adriatic micro plates, which are part of two large continental plates, named the African plate and Eurasian plate.

As a result of the movement, they are crashing with each other and straining the inner parts. Consequently those parts where no such strain can be maintained, the earth in those parts breaks down, resulting in what we know as an earthquake.

Mini-earthquakes occur all the time throughout Albania, because our country is in highly seismically active territory.

Statistics have shown that earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 are frequent at once or twice a year, while on average earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 to 5.5 occur once in every 2 to 5 years.


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