Magnitude 4.9 earthquake in Romania felt across Moldova
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck eastern Romania on Monday morning at 11:52 AM, sending noticeable tremors across the Republic of Moldova and shaking buildings in the capital Chișinău.
Deep focal depth limits surface damage
The seismic event originated near Râmnicu Sărat at an intermediate depth of 76.5 kilometres, according to seismological authorities. The tremor was felt at an intensity of approximately 4 on the MSK scale in Chișinău, with slightly stronger ground shaking registered across southern districts bordering Romania.
“At 11:52, an earthquake was recorded. Following automatic preliminary calculations, the tremor registered a magnitude of 4.38 on the Richter scale,” said Igor Nicoară, Director of Moldova’s Institute of Geology and Seismology. “The focal depth was 76.5 kilometres, while on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the intensity reached four degrees in Chișinău and slightly higher in the south.”
Regional seismic vulnerability
The epicenter lies within the curvature of the seismically active Vrancea-Buzău subcrustal zone, which regularly generates intermediate-depth tectonic activity affecting both sides of the Prut River. No casualties or infrastructural damage were reported by emergency and civil protection authorities in either country.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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