Slovakia was hit by an earthquake with a final magnitude of 4.3 on Saturday, February 21. The tremors were clearly felt in Bratislava and the surrounding areas. The event occurred at 13:44 in the area of the town of Šamorín, about 29 kilometers southeast of the Slovak capital. Initial reports of a magnitude of 4.6 were corrected. According to authorities, there is no information on casualties or serious damage.
Tremors in the Bratislava region
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 was recorded 29 km southeast of the capital of Slovakia. The tremors were clearly felt by residents and were accompanied by noise.
Correction of tremor strength
Initially, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre estimated the strength at 4.6, but it was ultimately corrected to 4.3. Such earthquakes rarely cause serious damage.
No reports of casualties
According to preliminary information, there are no reports of casualties or significant infrastructure damage as a result of Saturday's event.
A clearly perceptible earthquake hit southwestern Slovakia on Saturday, February 21, at 13:44. As reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicenter of the tremors was located in the area of the town of Šamorín, about 29 kilometers southeast of Bratislava. The event's magnitude was ultimately determined to be 4.3 on the Richter scale, although initial estimates spoke of a strength of 4.6. Witnesses reported that the tremors were quite strong and short, causing furniture to shake and accompanied by a characteristic noise. Many people spontaneously left buildings. The area of Central Europe, including Slovakia, is not a typical region of strong seismic activity. The main earthquake zones on the continent run through southern Europe, along the boundary of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates. Historically, however, sporadic tremors of moderate strength, related to local geological faults, have been recorded in the territory of present-day Slovakia. According to authorities and seismological experts, an earthquake of such magnitude, while clearly perceptible and capable of causing alarm, usually does not lead to serious infrastructure damage or pose a direct threat to life. So far, there are no reports of any casualties or significant material damage. This event, despite its local nature, serves as a reminder of the occurrence of seismic activity also in this part of Europe, where most of society is not accustomed to it.