Tërmetit

Tërmetit is the Albanian term for an earthquake, the rapid shaking of the ground caused by the release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere. The event occurs when stress that has built up as tectonic plates move is released in the form of seismic waves that propagate through rocks and soils, producing ground motion that can be felt on the surface. Tërmetet are commonly associated with plate boundary zones where faults accommodate crustal movement. They can be tectonic (the most common), induced by human activities such as reservoir impoundment or mining, or less commonly volcanic in origin.

Seismologists measure earthquakes by magnitude, which expresses the energy released, and by intensity, which describes the shaking observed at specific locations. The modern standard magnitude is the moment magnitude (Mw); intensity is often reported on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. Ground shaking depends on several factors, including magnitude, depth of focus, distance to the epicenter, fault mechanism, and local ground conditions such as soil type and bedrock.

Impacts range from minor to catastrophic. Strong shaking can damage buildings and infrastructure, trigger landslides, and, in coastal regions, generate tsunamis after offshore earthquakes. Preparedness and mitigation focus on strict building codes, seismic retrofitting of existing structures, land-use planning, emergency response, and public education. Some regions maintain early warning systems that can provide seconds to tens of seconds of notice before strong shaking arrives.

In the Albanian-speaking region and surrounding areas, seismically active zones have produced significant earthquakes in recent history, notably the events of 2019 that caused considerable damage and losses. The term təërmetit with its definite form, tërmetit, is used in Albanian texts in phrases such as pas tërmetit (after the earthquake).