Vrancea earthquake hits Romania with magnitude 4.8

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred on Monday, October 19, in the Vrancea seismic zone at a depth of 124.1 kilometers. The tremor, which took place at 11:51 AM near Buzău, was felt across various regions, including Bucharest, Chișinău in Moldova, and parts of Ukraine.

According to the National Institute for Earth Physics, the earthquake was the strongest recorded in Romania in the last two years. While no victims or significant material damages were reported, the event has renewed concerns regarding the risk of a major earthquake. Seismologist Gheorghe Mărmureanu noted the unique characteristics of Vrancea earthquakes due to their great depth and warned that significant vertical movement can be a precursor to more powerful events.

Following the tremor, reports emerged of the sea receding by 40 to 50 centimeters at certain coastal resorts. However, specialists clarified that this phenomenon was caused by dominant westerly winds pushing water offshore and was not related to the earthquake, noting there is no tsunami risk for the Romanian coast.