On Saturday, February 21, a distinctly felt earthquake struck southwestern Slovakia. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported the magnitude of the tremors was 4.3 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was located in the area of the town of Šamorín, about 30 km from Bratislava. According to eyewitness accounts, the tremors were short but strong, causing furniture to shake and move in apartments. No casualties or serious material damage were reported.
Earthquake with magnitude 4.3
On Saturday, February 21 at 1:44 PM, a seismic event with a final magnitude of 4.3 shook Slovakian ground. Preliminary estimates had indicated a strength of 4.6.
Epicenter near Bratislava
The focus of the tremors was located in the area of the town of Šamorín, at a distance of approximately 29-30 kilometers southeast of the Slovak capital.
Tremors felt in buildings
Residents reported building vibrations, furniture moving in homes, and a characteristic noise accompanying the tremors. No damage was reported.
No casualties or serious damage
According to available information from services and media, the earthquake did not cause any human casualties or significant damage to infrastructure.
On Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 1:44 PM local time, a light but distinctly felt earthquake struck southwestern Slovakia. The final magnitude of the event was determined by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) to be 4.3 on the Richter scale, correcting an earlier preliminary assessment of 4.6. The epicenter of the tremors was located in the area of the town of Šamorín, approximately 29–30 kilometers southeast of Bratislava, at a depth of about 2 kilometers. The tremors were felt primarily in the capital and its immediate surroundings. Slovakia lies in a zone of low, but non-zero, seismic activity, related to movements within the Eurasian plate and local faults. Historical records indicate the occurrence of sporadic tremors of moderate strength. The strongest recorded earthquake in the territory of present-day Slovakia occurred in 1906 near Komárno and reached a magnitude of approximately 5.7–6.0, causing local damage. Witnesses, whose accounts were cited by Slovak and Polish media, described short but quite intense vibrations. They spoke of noticeable swaying and movement of furniture in apartments, shaking windows, and a characteristic underground noise accompanying the tremors. Many people spontaneously evacuated residential and office buildings. According to geological services and seismological experts, an earthquake of this strength, while it may cause alarm, rarely leads to serious infrastructure damage. So far, there are no reports of casualties, injuries, or significant material damage. Authorities have not issued warnings about the possibility of aftershocks. This event, despite its local and not very strong nature, serves as a reminder that seismic phenomena also occur in Central Europe, where society is generally not accustomed to them and infrastructure is not designed with frequent tremors in mind.