Magnitude 4.4 earthquake hits eastern Romania

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale occurred on Sunday evening in Romania's Buzau county of Vrancea seismic zone, announced the National Institute for Earth Physics (INFP). The quake struck at a depth of 137 kilometers, with Intensity III-IV in epicenter. This is the largest earthquake recorded in the area in 2014. There is no report of casualty for now. Six other seismic events have taken place in the region this year, with magnitudes between 2.5 and 3.3 on the Richter scale. In December 2013, as many as 21 earthquakes were recorded in the same area, with magnitudes between 2.5 and 3.9 on the Richter scale. An earthquake measuring 5.5 magnitudes on the Richter scale jolted Vrancea region on Oct. 6, 2013 and another eight quakes measuring over 4 and less than 5 degrees on the Richter scale hit the same region in the last year. Vrancea is one of the most active seismic areas in Europe. It is known for its intermediate-depth (70-200 km) earthquakes, which can reach a magnitude of 7.0 to 7.8. In March 1977, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed 1,600 people in Romania and damaged 8,500 buildings.