BUCHAREST — 1977 · Major Tragedy
The 1977 Vrancea Earthquake
On the evening of 4 March 1977 an intermediate-depth earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck Romania's Vrancea region. Although the epicentre was far away, the worst destruction was in the capital, Bucharest, where 33 large buildings collapsed. The earthquake killed 1,578 people and injured 11,221, with about 90 percent of the deaths in Bucharest. Some 32,897 dwellings were destroyed or had to be demolished, and tens of thousands of families were left homeless. A 1978 World Bank report estimated total losses at about 2 billion dollars. The earthquake led to tighter building codes in Romania, and the problem of at-risk older buildings in Bucharest remains a live issue.
- Date
- 1977
- Place
- Bucharest, Romania, Bucharest, RO
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 44.4370, 26.0980 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 4 March 1977, eveningThe magnitude 7.4 Vrancea earthquake struck.
- March 197733 large buildings collapsed in Bucharest; rescue work lasted days.
- 1978The World Bank estimated losses at about 2 billion dollars.
- Later yearsBuilding codes were tightened.
Sources
- Wikipedia — 1977 Vrancea earthquake en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Bucharest.ro — The 1977 earthquake and Bucharest today bucharest.ro ↗
- Wikipedia
- Bucharest.ro
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.