EARTHQUAKES of 2021 FELT in MOLDOVA (Romania–Moldova)

All earthquakes felt in 2021 on the territory of Moldova occurred outside its borders, in Romania, and had depths in the range h=20–153 km. For strongest of them – on April 9 with MLMLD=4.7, MwMED=4.3, h=77 km, May 25 with MLMLD =4.6, MwMED =4.3, h=133 km and September 1 with MLMLD =4.4, MwMED =4.4, h=153 km, – the main parameters according to the decisions of different seismological agencies, focal mechanisms and information on the sensitivity were analyzed. All three epicenters were localized in the bend of the Vrancea Mountains. In Moldova the first of them was noted only with an intensity of 2 points felt in Cahul, Comrat, Causani, Chisinau and Tiraspol on the MSK-64 scale; the second was noted with the same intensity and in the same settlements. The September 1 earthquake manifested itself with an intensity of 2 points only in two settlements – Cahul and Chisinau. The focal mechanism study showed that the main type of slip in the foci of these three earthquakes was a thrust/reverse fault with a small shear component under horizontal compression stresses and vertical or intermediate extensions.