Earthquake in Bulgaria with a Magnitude above 4.5

There was an earthquake in Bulgaria around 3:30 p.m. today. According to the European Seismological Center, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.6 on the Richter scale. The epicenter is 17 km southeast of Plovdiv, 3 km from Asenovgrad and 146 km from the capital, according to data from the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

According to Bulgarian data, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale, the epicenter is north of Asenovgrad, reported the on-duty seismologist from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It was registered at 15:26 p.m. by the BAS. There are no reports of casualties or damage at the moment.

Associate Professor Plamena Raykova from the Department of Seismology at the BAS explained: "There was an earthquake that was registered in the area north of Asenovgrad. According to preliminary data, the event had a magnitude of 4.8. It was felt in the area of Asenovgrad, Plovdiv and nearby settlements such as Sadovo".

The earthquake occurred in the seismogenic zone "Maritsa". Historically, this area is characterized by strong seismicity, since in 1928, 2 strong earthquakes with a magnitude above 6.5 were observed at this location within the span of 4 days.

People in the village of Krumovo, which is in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter, were very scared, said the mayor Rumyana Samokovareva. According to her, there are fallen chimneys and bricks from the buildings and the community center.

The earthquake was strongly felt in Sadovo, but there are no reports of damage to the buildings.

In Plovdiv, at the moment, the operational center of the Regional Office for Fire Safety and Population Protection (ROFSPP)has not received any reports of damage. Two fire trucks from Asenovgrad will...