Magnitude 3.5 Earthquake Strikes Vrancha Zone, Felt in Odesa Region

In the evening, on April 18, an earthquake occurred on the territory of the Vrancha seismic center. The tremors had a magnitude of 3.5. They could be felt by residents of Izmail district in Odesa region.

According to the National Institute of Research and Development of Earth Physics, the tremors were recorded at 18:43.

The epicenter was located 13 km north of the town of Foxhounds at a depth of 31.5 km. The towns of Barlad (60 km), Buzau (78 km), Galati (80 km), Başeu (85 km) and Braila (88 km) were also located in the area of relative proximity to the tremor.

No information on damage or casualties has been reported so far.

The seismic activity in the Vrancea zone is one of the highest in Europe, and the region regularly records medium to high magnitude tremors. Despite the relatively low magnitude, the earthquake could have been felt in the neighboring regions of Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Experts reminded that Vrancea is an area of high seismic hazard, and residents of the region should be prepared for possible aftershocks. In the event of stronger earthquakes, it is recommended to follow safety precautions and check the operational reports of seismological services.

The last time an earthquake of magnitude 3.6 was felt in Odesa region was recorded in the seismically active Vrancea zone (Romania) at 10:14 a.m. on March 24.

Before that, late in the evening of February 13, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 was also recorded in the seismically active Vranca zone (Romania).

On August 6, at about 4 p.m., an earthquake also occurred in the Romanian seismic zone off Vrancha, which could be felt in the south of Odesa region.

Earlier, an earthquake was recorded on May 22, 2024.

In addition, three earthquakes were recorded in Romania in the evening of May 7, 2024.

The strongest of the three earthquakes occurred at 18:32 in the Buzau region. Its epicenter was at a distance of about 120 kilometers from Reni. The magnitude of the tremors was 4.1 on the Richter scale.

Ірина Глухова