1802 Vrancea earthquake
 |
|
| Date | 26 October 1802 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 12:55 (local time) |
| Duration | 2 minutes and 30 seconds |
| Magnitude | 7.9 Mw |
| Depth | 150 km (93 mi) |
| Areas affected | |
| Total damage | Hundreds of buildings destroyed |
| Max. intensity | IX–X |
| Landslides | Yes |
| Aftershocks | 6 |
| Casualties | 4 |
The 1802 Vrancea earthquake occurred in the Vrancea Mountains of Romania on 26 October [O.S. 14 October] 1802, on St. Paraskeva's Day. With an estimated intensity of 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale, it is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Romania and one of the strongest in European history. It was felt across an area of more than two million square kilometers in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, from Saint Petersburg to the Aegean Sea.
In Bucharest, the earthquake had an estimated intensity of VIII–IX on the Mercalli scale. It toppled church steeples and caused Cotroceni Monastery to collapse. Numerous fires broke out, mainly from overturned stoves. In Bulgaria, the cities of Ruse, Varna and Vidin were almost completely destroyed. The force of the earthquake cracked walls as far north as Moscow.
The main quake was followed by a series of aftershocks, of which the largest had a magnitude of 5.5.
The main shock hit Bucharest between noon and 1 p.m. The earthquake was felt for about 10 minutes and was so violent that all chimneys in the city collapsed. Numerous historical monuments were destroyed, including St. Nicholas Church, Cotroceni Monastery and the 54-meter-high Colțea Tower. The Greek chronicler Dionysius Fotino reported that Prince Constantine Ypsilantis moved with his family to the Văcărești Monastery because his palace was severely damaged. However, despite the massive damage to buildings, only four deaths were reported: a Jewish woman and her baby, an itinerant merchant killed when Colțea Tower collapsed, and one other victim. The death toll may have been so low because the houses were built far apart and surrounded by large yards and gardens, so the buildings' vibrations did not propagate. Also, the building materials—mostly shingle and timber—were light.
...
Wikipedia