What the record shows for Bulgaria
The strongest earthquake on record near Bulgaria is a magnitude 7.2 in 1905, centred Aegean Sea - 121 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 152 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Bulgaria - roughly 8 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 21 tsunamis within 300 km of Bulgaria between -50 and 2014. The most significant was in 1912 near Marmara Sea, triggered by an M7.2 earthquake, which killed around 2,800 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Bulgaria has several active fault zones and a history of strong earthquakes near Sofia and Plovdiv.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Bulgaria.
Earthquake risk in Bulgaria - FAQ
Is Bulgaria at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 8 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.2 in 1905.
What was the biggest earthquake in Bulgaria?
The strongest earthquake on record near Bulgaria is M7.2, in 1905 (Aegean Sea), from USGS.
Does Bulgaria get tsunamis?
Yes - 21 tsunamis since 50 BC (most recently 2014) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 2,800 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Bulgaria?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.