Earthquakes in the country/ Seismologist for Politiko: The tremors will continue! Monitor the activity going forward

The earthquakes, which have been hitting our country for more than 4 days, have brought attention back to seismic risk and the need for continuous preparation.

Since June 24, strong earthquake tremors have been felt in Tirana, Durrës, Krujë, Vlorë and Podgorica, which fortunately have not caused major damage, but have raised concerns among citizens.

The consecutive earthquakes with over 4 on the Richter scale have created a 'deja vu' with the tragedy of November 26, 2019, but for seismologists there is no room for alarm.

Damiano Koxhaj from the Albanian Institute of Seismology, contacted by Politiko.al, states that after the June 24 earthquake, which turned out to be the strongest, we have aftershocks with a decreasing magnitude trend.

Koxhaj assesses that the situation appears calm, but it is important that seismic activity be monitored continuously.

"We continue to have aftershocks on a decreasing magnitude trend, which is a positive calming trend for the June 24 earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4. It is important to monitor the ongoing activity," Koxhaj said.

Today alone, according to the Institute of Geosciences, over 10 consecutive low-magnitude earthquakes have been recorded.

Seismic activity in our country cannot be predicted with accuracy, but we can learn how to act in the event of an earthquake.

During the earthquake

Stay calm and don't be alarmed.

If you are indoors:  Take shelter under a sturdy table or near an interior wall.
-Do not use elevators.
-Stay away from windows, bookshelves, and chandeliers.

If you are outside:  Stay away from buildings, trees, power lines and bridges.
-Do not enter buildings until it is safe.
-If you are in a car: Park in an open area and avoid bridges or tunnels.