List of earthquakes in Romania
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Romania_haz.jpg/220px-Romania_haz.jpg)
This is a list of earthquakes in Romania, including any notable historical earthquakes that have epicenters within the current boundaries of Romania, or which caused significant effects in this area.
Seismic hazard
The seismicity of Romania is clustered in several epicentral zones: Vrancea, Făgăraș-Câmpulung, Banat, Crișana, Maramureș and Southern Dobruja.[1] Other epicentral zones of local importance can be found in Transylvania, in the area of Jibou and Târnava River, in northern and western part of Oltenia, in northern Moldavia and in the Wallachian Plain.[2] The Vrancea seismogenic zone is the most important among these seismic zones, having in mind the energy, the extent of the macroseismic effects and the persistent and confined character of the earthquakes that occur in this area. Two belts of moderate and shallower seismicity are emphasized in the other regions of the country: one along the Southern Carpathians and the eastern edge of the Pannonian Basin, the other along the Eastern Carpathians that extends towards SE on the Peceneaga–Camena line.[3][4][5]
Frequency of earthquakes
During the last 1,000 years, according to historical data, it is thought that 17 earthquakes with 7 and over magnitude have occurred, which suggests a mean for unleashing the energy of every 58 years. Statistically, the magnitude 6 and over earthquakes in the Vrancea area occur approximately every 10 years, magnitude 7 every 33 years, while those with 7.5 magnitude every 80 years.[6]
List of notable earthquakes
Earthquakes listed in the following tables include only M6.0+ events. All seismic events are shown in detail in the ROMPLUS catalog of the National Institute for Earth Physics. It collected information from the catalog of Constantinescu and Mîrza (1980) for the period 984–1997. After 1997, the catalog was permanently filled and updated with data on seismic events produced in Romania and around national borders.
984–1600
1601–1900
Date | Magnitude | Intensity | Depth | Epicenter | Casualties and damages |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 May 1604 | 6.8 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
24 December 1605 | 7.1 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
13 January 1606 | 6.8 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
8 November 1620 | 7.5 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
1 February 1637 | 7.1 | VIII | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
19 April 1650 | 6.5 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
19 August 1681 | 7.1 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
12 June 1701 | 7.1 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
11 October 1711 | 6.5 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
6 April 1730 | 6.1 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
11 June 1738 | 7.7 | VIII | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
5 April 1740 | 7.3 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
18 January 1778 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°30′N 26°36′E / 45.5°N 26.6°E | |
18 January 1787 | 6.5 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
6 April 1790 | 7.1 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
8 December 1793 | 6.2 | VII-X | 9.9 km | 45°42′N 24°30′E / 45.7°N 24.5°E | |
26 October 1802 | 7.9 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | Bucharest. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Romania, being felt from Moscow to Istanbul. Despite its intensity, only four people were killed and hundreds injured. | Chronicles and records of the Orthodox Church indicate extensive damage to churches and tall buildings in
5 March 1812 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
10 February 1821 | 6.6 | VII-X | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
17 November 1821 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
1 July 1829 | 6.2 | VII-X | 35 km | 47°30′N 22°12′E / 47.5°N 22.2°E | |
26 November 1829 | 7.3 | VIII | 150 km | 45°48′N 26°36′E / 45.8°N 26.6°E | |
3 August 1831 | 6.1 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
21 April 1835 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
23 January 1838 | 7.5 | VIII | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | Bucharest. Hundreds of houses were completely destroyed, the damage being immense. | 73 deaths were recorded across the country, of which eight only in
6 March 1844 | 6.0 | VII-X | 110 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
1 January 1848 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
28 October 1854 | 6.5 | VII-X | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
16 October 1862 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
27 November 1868 | 6.5 | VII-X | 135 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
25 December 1880 | 6.8 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
19 August 1888 | 6.5 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
17 August 1893 | 7.1 | VIII | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
10 September 1893 | 6.5 | VII-X | 99.9 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
4 March 1894 | 6.5 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
31 August 1894 | 7.1 | VIII | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
11 March 1896 | 6.6 | VII-X | 150 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
24 November 1896 | 6.1 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E |
1900–present
Date | Magnitude | Intensity | Depth | Epicenter | Casualties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 September 1903 | 6.3 | VII-X | 70 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
6 February 1904 | 6.6 | VII-X | 75 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
6 October 1908 | 7.1 | VIII | 125 km | 45°30′N 26°30′E / 45.5°N 26.5°E | It lasted about three minutes and damaged old houses in Bucharest, eastern Wallachia and southern Moldavia. |
25 May 1912 | 6.7 | VII-X | 90 km | 45°42′N 27°12′E / 45.7°N 27.2°E | |
26 January 1916 | 6.4 | VII-X | 21 km | 45°24′N 24°36′E / 45.4°N 24.6°E | |
18 April 1919 | 6.1 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°42′N 26°48′E / 45.7°N 26.8°E | |
9 August 1919 | 6.0 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
25 December 1925 | 6.1 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
30 March 1928 | 6.0 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°54′N 26°30′E / 45.9°N 26.5°E | |
20 May 1929 | 6.0 | VII-X | 100 km | 45°48′N 26°30′E / 45.8°N 26.5°E | |
1 November 1929 | 6.1 | VII-X | 160 km | 45°54′N 26°30′E / 45.9°N 26.5°E | |
27 May 1932 | 6.0 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
2 February 1934 | 6.0 | VII-X | 140 km | 45°42′N 26°36′E / 45.7°N 26.6°E | |
29 March 1934 | 6.6 | VII-X | 90 km | 45°12′N 26°12′E / 45.2°N 26.2°E | |
13 July 1935 | 6.0 | VII-X | 140 km | 45°18′N 26°36′E / 45.3°N 26.6°E | |
5 September 1935 | 6.0 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°48′N 26°42′E / 45.8°N 26.7°E | |
17 May 1936 | 6.0 | VII-X | 140 km | 45°18′N 26°18′E / 45.3°N 26.3°E | |
13 July 1938 | 6.0 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°54′N 26°42′E / 45.9°N 26.7°E | |
5 September 1939 | 6.2 | VII-X | 120 km | 45°54′N 26°42′E / 45.9°N 26.7°E | |
22 October 1940 | 6.5 | VII-X | 125 km | 45°48′N 26°24′E / 45.8°N 26.4°E | |
10 November 1940 | 7.7 | VIII | 150 km | 45°48′N 26°42′E / 45.8°N 26.7°E | Moldavia, but also in Wallachia. The death toll was estimated at 1,000, with an additional figure of 4,000 wounded, mostly in Moldavia. The earthquake was felt in Bucharest, where there were about 300 deaths, mostly from the collapse of Carlton Bloc. | This was the strongest earthquake recorded in the 20th century in Romania. Its effects were devastating in central and southern
12 March 1945 | 6.1 | VII-X | 125 km | 45°36′N 26°24′E / 45.6°N 26.4°E | |
7 September 1945 | 6.8 | VII-X | 80 km | 45°54′N 26°30′E / 45.9°N 26.5°E | |
3 November 1946 | 6.0 | VII-X | 140 km | 45°36′N 26°18′E / 45.6°N 26.3°E | |
29 May 1948 | 6.3 | VII-X | 130 km | 45°48′N 26°30′E / 45.8°N 26.5°E | |
20 August 1973 | 6.0 | VII-X | 73 km | 45°44′N 26°29′E / 45.74°N 26.48°E | |
1 October 1976 | 6.0 | VII-X | 146 km | 45°41′N 26°29′E / 45.68°N 26.49°E | |
4 March 1977 | 7.4 | VIII | 94 km | 45°46′N 26°46′E / 45.77°N 26.76°E | Bucharest where over 30 buildings and large buildings collapsed. | This was the deadliest earthquake ever recorded in Romania. The official death toll was put at 1,578. Throughout the country were 11,300 injured and about 35,000 homes have collapsed. Most property damage concentrated in
30 August 1986 | 7.1 | VIII | 131.4 km | 45°30′N 26°29′E / 45.5°N 26.49°E | Chișinău-Cahul area. | The earthquake killed two people, injured 558 and damaged about 55,000 homes, leaving more than 12,500 people homeless in the
30 May 1990 | 6.9 | VII-X | 90.9 km | 45°50′N 26°53′E / 45.83°N 26.89°E | Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria. | 13 deaths and severe damage were reported on large areas in
31 May 1990 | 6.4 | VII-X | 86.9 km | 45°51′N 26°55′E / 45.85°N 26.91°E | This was the strongest replica of the 30 May mainshock. |
27 October 2004 | 6.0 | VII-X | 98.6 km | 45°47′N 26°44′E / 45.78°N 26.73°E | |
25 May 2014 | 6.9 | VII-X | 10 km | 40°18′N 25°27′E / 40.30°N 25.45°E | This was the strongest earthquake recorded in the 21st century in Romania. Its effects were minimal. |
Gallery
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Turnul Colței heavily damaged by the 1802 Vrancea earthquake
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Rescue operations at Carlton Bloc after the 1940 Vrancea earthquake
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Ienei Church was nearly destroyed during the 1977 Vrancea earthquake.
See also
References
- ^ Vladimir Yu Sokolov, Friedemann Wenzel, Rakesh Mohindra, Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for Romania and sensitivity analys: A case of joint consideration of intermediate-depth (Vrancea) and shallow (crustal) seismicity, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 29, 364-381
- ^ Ardeleanu, L. et al. (2005) Probabilistic seismic hazard map for Romania as a basis for a new building code. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science 5, 679-684
- ^ Oncescu, M., Marza, V. I., Rizescu, M., and Popa, M. (1999). The Romanian earthquake catalogue between 984-1997, Vrancea Earthquakes: Tectonics, Hazard and Risk Mitigation (edited by F. Wenzel et al.), 43-47
- ^ Atanasiu I., 1961. Earthquakes in Romania. Academia R.P.R., Bucharest, 194pp. (in Romanian)
- ^ Radulian, M., Mândrescu, N., Panza, G.F., Popescu, E., Utale, A. (2000), Characterization of Seismogenic Zones of Romania, Pure appl. geophys. 157, 57-77
- ^ "Earthquake Risk Perception in Bucharest, Romania", Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
External links
- Adevărul.ro – List of the most powerful earthquakes in Romania
- Cutremur.net – List of earthquakes in Romania since 1800
- Geodin.ro – Romanian seismology
- Realitatea.net – The five strongest earthquakes in Romania in the last 200 years
- National Institute for Earth Physics – List of earthquakes in Romania