On Monday, October 19, residents of Odesa and the Odesa region felt underground tremors originating from the Vrancea seismic zone in Romania. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Main Center for Special Control (MCSC) and the National Institute for Earth Physics of Romania, as well as a Suspilne correspondent who recorded the vibrations in Izmail. According to preliminary data, the event occurred during daytime hours and was registered by both Romanian and Ukrainian monitoring systems.
Earthquake Parameters According to Romanian Seismologists
According to the Romanian Institute, the tremor was recorded on October 19 at 11:51:57 local time in the Vrancea seismic zone (Buzău County). The magnitude was 4.8, and the hypocenter was at a depth of 124.1 km. The macroseismic intensity of the tremors was estimated at four points. The epicenter was located approximately 54 km south of Buzău, 58 km east of Brașov, 60 km southeast of Sfântu Gheorghe, 62 km north of Ploiești, 72 km south of Focșani, and 90 km northeast of Târgoviște.
Where Tremors Were Felt in Ukraine
Underground tremors were felt in Izmail, Odesa region — as reported by a Suspilne correspondent who experienced the vibrations. Local Telegram channels and public groups also reported that tremors could be felt by residents of Chornomorsk and on the upper floors of buildings in Odesa. Official authorities at the time of publication did not provide a separate commentary on social media reports, relying instead on seismological service data.
Discrepancies in Monitoring System Assessments
Various systems and agencies provided somewhat differing figures. According to the Android Earthquake Alerts system, tremors were recorded at approximately 11:52, with a preliminary magnitude estimated at 4.9, and the epicenter located 13 km from the Romanian city of Râmnicu Sărat; in several reports, the magnitude was indicated as 4.5, and the focal depth as about 76.5 km. Meanwhile, the Romanian Institute insists on a magnitude of 4.8 and a depth of 124.1 km. Thus, the fact of the earthquake and its perceptibility in the Odesa region are confirmed by all sources, while exact parameters (magnitude and depth) vary depending on the assessment system.
Context: Other Earthquakes in Ukraine
Seismic activity in the region has not been isolated lately. On September 22, an earthquake of magnitude 4.2 was recorded in the Poltava region with an epicenter in the Machukha community at a depth of about 3 km, followed by aftershocks of magnitude 2.5 in the Reshetylivka community. On the night of October 15, a tremor of magnitude 2.1 was registered in the Tyachiv district of the Zakarpattia region, which is classified by specialists as imperceptible. According to the MCSC, other events have been recorded in Ukraine over recent weeks, including a magnitude 3.6 tremor in the Crimea area.
