Written by on . Last updated October 15th, 2024.

A significant Magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck under land 52 kilometer from Braşov in Romania in the late afternoon of Monday September 16th, 2024. Moldova, Ukraine and Bulgaria are also near its epicenter.

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Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Romania, 52 kilometer (32 mi) east of Braşov in Brașov. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 133 km.

Date and Time: Sep 16, 2024 17:40 (Bucharest Time)
- Sep 16, 2024 14:40 Universal Time.
Location: 52 km east of Braşov, Brașov, Romania.
Coordinates 45°33'59"N 26°16'4"E.
Map: Map of area around epicenter.
Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude: MAG 5.2
Detected by 34 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.053 .
Depth: 133 km (83 mi)
An intermediate depth.
Tsunami Risk: Tsunami very unlikely
Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case.
Always stay cautious - More info here.

Nearby towns and cities

Romania , Moldova , Ukraine and Bulgaria are all located within 300km distance of the epicenter of the earthquake.

The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Săcele in Brașov, Romania. Săcele is located 44 kilometer (27 mi) east of the epicenter.

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Bucharest is located 127 km to the south. Braşov is located 52 km to the west. Ploieşti is located 71 km to the south-southwest.

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.

Overview of nearby places

Distance Place
44 km (27 mi)
W from epicenter
Săcele

Brașov, Romania.
49 km (30 mi)
NNW from epicenter
Târgu Secuiesc

Covasna, Romania.
50 km (31 mi)
NW from epicenter
Sfântu Gheorghe

Covasna, Romania.
52 km (32 mi)
W from epicenter
Braşov

Brașov, Romania.
63 km (39 mi)
SW from epicenter
Breaza

Prahova, Romania.
63 km (39 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Mizil

Prahova, Romania.
64 km (40 mi)
W from epicenter
Râşnov

Brașov, Romania.
64 km (40 mi)
ESE from epicenter
Râmnicu Sărat

Buzău, Romania.
64 km (40 mi)
SE from epicenter
Buzău

Buzău, Romania.
64 km (40 mi)
SW from epicenter
Câmpina

Prahova, Romania.
65 km (40 mi)
WNW from epicenter
Codlea

Brașov, Romania.
68 km (42 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Băicoi

Prahova, Romania.
71 km (44 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Ploieşti

Prahova, Romania.
73 km (45 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Focșani

Vrancea, Romania.
74 km (46 mi)
W from epicenter
Zărnești

Brașov, Romania.
81 km (50 mi)
SW from epicenter
Moreni

Dâmbovița, Romania.
91 km (57 mi)
NE from epicenter
Adjud

Vrancea, Romania.
94 km (58 mi)
NNW from epicenter
Miercurea-Ciuc

Harghita, Romania.
95 km (59 mi)
SW from epicenter
Târgovişte

Dâmbovița, Romania.
96 km (60 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Tecuci

Galați, Romania.
96 km (60 mi)
N from epicenter
Comăneşti

Bacău, Romania.
99 km (62 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Urziceni

Ialomița, Romania.
103 km (64 mi)
N from epicenter
Moineşti

Bacău, Romania.
106 km (66 mi)
WNW from epicenter
Făgăraș

Brașov, Romania.
111 km (69 mi)
NW from epicenter
Odorheiu Secuiesc

Harghita, Romania.
120 km (75 mi)
S from epicenter
Voluntari

Ilfov, Romania.
121 km (75 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 1

București, Romania.
122 km (76 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Bacău

Bacău, Romania.
124 km (77 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 2

București, Romania.
127 km (79 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 3

București, Romania.
127 km (79 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 6

București, Romania.
127 km (79 mi)
S from epicenter
Bucharest

București, Romania.
131 km (81 mi)
NE from epicenter
Bârlad

Vaslui, Romania.
132 km (82 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 5

București, Romania.
133 km (83 mi)
S from epicenter
Sector 4

București, Romania.
136 km (85 mi)
SW from epicenter
Piteşti

Arges, Romania.
137 km (85 mi)
ESE from epicenter
Brăila

Brăila, Romania.
140 km (87 mi)
E from epicenter
Galaţi

Galați, Romania.
141 km (88 mi)
SE from epicenter
Slobozia

Ialomița, Romania.
150 km (93 mi)
N from epicenter
Piatra Neamţ

Neamț, Romania.
155 km (96 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Cahul

Cahul, Moldova.
157 km (98 mi)
WSW from epicenter
Râmnicu Vâlcea

Vâlcea, Romania.
159 km (99 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Roman

Neamț, Romania.
164 km (102 mi)
NE from epicenter
Vaslui

Vaslui, Romania.
167 km (104 mi)
S from epicenter
Olteniţa

Silistra, Romania.
167 km (104 mi)
W from epicenter
Sibiu

Sibiu, Romania.
171 km (106 mi)
NW from epicenter
Târgu-Mureş

Mureș, Romania.
179 km (111 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Silistra

Silistra, Bulgaria.
188 km (117 mi)
S from epicenter
Giurgiu

Giurgiu, Romania.
191 km (119 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Alexandria

Teleorman, Romania.
193 km (120 mi)
S from epicenter
Ruse

Ruse, Bulgaria.
195 km (121 mi)
SW from epicenter
Slatina

Olt, Romania.
202 km (126 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Comrat

Găgăuzia, Moldova.
202 km (126 mi)
E from epicenter
Izmail

Odessa, Ukraine.
203 km (126 mi)
ESE from epicenter
Tulcea

Tulcea, Romania.
205 km (127 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Iaşi

Iași, Romania.
215 km (134 mi)
WNW from epicenter
Alba Iulia

Alba, Romania.
217 km (135 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Ungheni

Ungheni, Moldova.
221 km (137 mi)
NW from epicenter
Bistriţa

Bistrița-Năsăud, Romania.
227 km (141 mi)
S from epicenter
Razgrad

Razgrad, Bulgaria.
227 km (141 mi)
NE from epicenter
Hînceşti

Hînceşti, Moldova.
230 km (143 mi)
N from epicenter
Suceava

Suceava, Romania.
239 km (149 mi)
SW from epicenter
Craiova

Dolj, Romania.
240 km (149 mi)
WSW from epicenter
Târgu Jiu

Gorj, Romania.
242 km (150 mi)
SE from epicenter
Constanţa

Constanța, Romania.
245 km (152 mi)
WNW from epicenter
Cluj-Napoca

Cluj, Romania.
245 km (152 mi)
N from epicenter
Botoşani

Botoșani, Romania.
251 km (156 mi)
NE from epicenter
Strășeni

Strășeni, Moldova.
255 km (158 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Dobrich

Dobrich, Bulgaria.
255 km (158 mi)
NE from epicenter
Chisinau

Chișinău Municipality, Moldova.
259 km (161 mi)
S from epicenter
Targovishte

Targovishte, Bulgaria.
261 km (162 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Shumen

Shumen, Bulgaria.
263 km (163 mi)
W from epicenter
Hunedoara

Hunedoara, Romania.
263 km (163 mi)
NNW from epicenter
Borşa

Maramureş, Romania.
269 km (167 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Bilicenii Vechi

Sîngerei, Moldova.
270 km (168 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Căuşeni

Căuşeni, Moldova.
273 km (170 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Pleven

Pleven, Bulgaria.
275 km (171 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Bălţi

Bălţi, Moldova.
281 km (175 mi)
NE from epicenter
Orhei

Orhei, Moldova.
281 km (175 mi)
S from epicenter
Veliko Tŭrnovo

Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
284 km (176 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Bender

Bender Municipality, Moldova.
292 km (181 mi)
SSE from epicenter
Varna

Varna, Bulgaria.
295 km (183 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Tiraspol

Stînga Nistrului, Moldova.
297 km (185 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Lovech

Lovech, Bulgaria.
297 km (185 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Sevlievo

Gabrovo, Bulgaria.
299 km (186 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Drochia

Drochia, Moldova.
Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.

Shaking reported by 546 people in 5 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 546 people have reported shaking in 72 places in 5 countries (Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Austria, Moldova, Romania).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

  • Vamă Buzaului, Braşov, Romania: 53 people.
  • Bucharest, Bukarest, Romania: 40 people.
  • Lopătari, Buzău, Romania: 32 people.
  • Zagon, Covasna, Romania: 30 people.
  • Măneciu, Prahova, Romania: 25 people.
  • Comandău, Covasna, Romania: 22 people.
  • Chişinău, Chişinău, Moldova: 21 people.
  • Tărlungeni, Braşov, Romania: 19 people.
  • Gura Teghii, Buzău, Romania: 18 people.
  • Valea Râmnicului, Buzău, Romania: 17 people.

Aftershocks detected

This main shock was prefaced by 1 smaller foreshock. Roughly 2 days before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-3.3 was detected nearby this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Classification Magnitude When Where
Foreshock M 3.3 2 days earlier
Sep 14, 2024 18:06 (Bucharest Time)
9 km (6 mi)
SSE from Main Shock.
Main Shock
This Earthquake
M 5.2 Sep 16, 2024 17:40
(Bucharest Time)
-
Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since February 14th, 2023, when a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit 245 km (152 mi) further west-southwest. That was also the heaviest earthquake to hit the region in the past 10 years.

In total, 5 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 years.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor Under Sea? MAG-6.5 or stronger? Shallow depth?
Explanation Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami.
MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes.
MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake Not this earthquake.
This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.
Not this earthquake.
This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.
Not this earthquake.
This earthquake occurred at a depth of 133 km (83 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 15/10/24 03:28 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.

  1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000ne92
  2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20240916_0000172
  3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
  4. Google Maps: Static API
  5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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