EARTHQUAKES of 2016–2017 FELT in MOLDOVA (Romania–Moldova)

Abstract

All earthquakes felt in 2016–2017 on the territory of Moldova occurred outside its borders, in the Vrancea region (Romania), with intermediate depths in the range hрР = 95–135 km. In 2016, the population of Moldova felt 2 earthquakes: September 23th with Mw=5.7, hрР=95 km and December 27th with Mw=5.6, hрР=100 km. For them, data on quakes in 113 and 150 localities, respectively, were collected, according to which isoseismal maps were made. The earthquake of September 23, 2016 was most evident in the eastern and southern parts of Romania. But it was also felt in the north of Bulgaria, in Moldova and the south-west of Ukraine, in Serbia and Macedonia. The echoes of the earthquake reached Istanbul in the south, Tirana in the west, Gomel in the north and Mariupol in the east from the epicenter. The maximum intensity of 6 points on the Mercalli scale was noted in Buzau. The earthquake of December 27, 2016 was most evident in the eastern and southern parts of Romania, as well as in northern Bulgaria, Moldova, southwestern Ukraine and Serbia. The maximum intensity of I=5 on the Mercalli scale was noted in Vanatori. In 2017, the population of Moldova felt 4 earthquakes: February 8th, May 19th, August 1st and 2nd. The earthquake on February 2nd with Mw=4.5 and hрР=126 km manifested itself in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova with an intensity of I=2–3. The earthquake on May 19 with Mw=4.3 and hрР=124 km was felt in the eastern and southern counties of Romania (in 6 localities), in the central and southern regions of the Republic of Moldova. Tremors from the August 1st earthquake with Mw=4.3 and hрР=107 km were felt in the eastern and southern counties of Romania, as well as in the central and southern regions of Moldova (Cahul and Chisinau, I=2–3). The earthquake on August 2nd with Mw=4.9 and hрР=135 km was felt in the eastern and southern counties of Romania, in Cahul with an intensity I=3 and in Chisinau – I=2. The solutions of the focal mechanism given in the article indicate that all the considered earthquakes occurred under the influence of the prevailing compression close to horizontal. It is noted that the value of the total seismic energy released in 2016 in the focal area of Vrancea is the maximum annual energy for this area in the 21st century.