Causes and Effects of the November 10, 1940 Earthquake

Abstract

On November 10th, 1940 a strong earthquake occurred in Romania, being characterized by a seismic magnitude M_G−R = 7.4 and lasting about 45 s. The seismic motion was felt over an area of 80,000 km² and resulted in significant casualties and property damage. This seismic event aroused particular interest since it was established that its focus was at a depth of about 150 km, in the Vrancea region. Another aspect highlighted by the incidence of the earthquake was that of the existence within the affected area of some “seismic islands”, where it was felt more severely compared to how it was perceived in other neighbouring regions, though its instrumental epicenter was located far away both from those “seismic islands” and from the areas located in their vicinity. In this respect, the most representative example is that of Bucharest, located nearly 160 km from the instrumental epicentre, and where the macroseismic intensity was set to IX, according to the seismic intensity scale of G. Mercalli and processed by A. Sieberg. The paper contains relevant aspects regarding the design and construction of the building categories that were severely damaged by the destructive 1940 Vrancea earthquake.