What the record shows for Moldova
The strongest earthquake on record near Moldova is a magnitude 7.7 in 1940, centred 13 km ESE of Comand?u, Romania - 86 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 141 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Moldova - roughly 7 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 4 tsunamis within 300 km of Moldova between 1802 and 2014. The most significant was in 1838 near Black Sea, triggered by an M6.9 earthquake, which killed around 42 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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Moldova is strongly affected by the neighbouring Vrancea seismic zone in Romania, whose deep earthquakes are felt across the whole country.
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 Moldova.
Earthquake risk in Moldova - FAQ
Is Moldova at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 7 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 M7.7 in 1940.
What was the biggest earthquake in Moldova?
The strongest earthquake on record near Moldova is M7.7, in 1940 (13 km ESE of Comand?u, Romania), from USGS.
Does Moldova get tsunamis?
Yes - 4 tsunamis since 1802 (most recently 2014) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 42 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Moldova?
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.