82% of residents believe Bucharest is not ready for an earthquake, study says
A study conducted by the Bucharest Community Foundation, through the Bucurestiul Pregatit/Bucharest Ready program, shows that 82% of residents believe that the Romanian capital is not ready for a major earthquake, making it a prime concern among city residents.
Meanwhile, 59% of Bucharest residents consider earthquakes a major threat, ranking them as the second biggest reason for concern, after personal health issues (70%), and 57% feel vulnerable in case of a major earthquake. Fear of earthquakes is more spread among women (62%) compared to men (51%) and the highest levels of concern are found among residents aged 35 to 64.
The study was released on March 4, marking 48 years since the deadly earthquake of 1977. Over 1,500 people lost their lives back then, as thousands of buildings collapsed.
Lack of Preparedness
The research revealed a crisis of confidence, a lack of culture in preparedness and signals the urgent need for action. Nearly half of respondents (45%) have not taken protective measures yet, although they admit they should. Currently, only 23% of Bucharest residents have informed themselves from courses and guides and only 15% developed an action plan in case of an earthquake.
In the event of a major earthquake, Bucharest residents’ main concerns revolve around losing loved ones (83%), building collapses (75%), the risk of injury or death (67%), and losing their home (59%). Some fears are significantly more present among women, such as economic and social instability (37% vs. 24% among men), lack of information about shelters (35% vs. 18%), and loss of personal belongings (32% vs. 22%), the Bucharest Community Foundation also showed.
When it comes to the responsibility regarding earthquake preparedness measures, 91% of respondents consider the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU) as the main authority responsible, followed by the City Hall and local authorities, mentioned by 1 in 2 respondents, and then themselves, for 45% of respondents.
The quantitative study was conducted online in February 2025, in collaboration with iZi data, on a representative sample of 500 respondents in Bucharest.
A Renewed Risk
On March 4, 1977, Romania was struck by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale. In less than a minute, thousands of buildings collapsed, and over 1,570 people lost their lives. In total, nearly 33,000 homes were severely damaged.
According to the World Bank, if another earthquake of the same magnitude were to occur, over 20,000 buildings in the capital alone would be vulnerable.
“Forty-eight years later, a similar earthquake would likely have even more devastating effects. In the face of such an imminent threat, preparedness is no longer an option, but an urgent necessity," said Alina Kasprovschi, Executive Director at the Bucharest Community Foundation.
A significant number of Bucharest residents are considering moving to a safer home If they knew their home was at high seismic risk, most (41%, of which 48% of men) would consider moving to a safer home, while 27% would seek information on consolidating their existing home, and 12% would wait for government support for reinforcement works.
At the same time, half of the respondents believe their current home is safe, while nearly a third (29%) have never checked its safety, and only 13% are aware of their home’s seismic risk category.
Even newer buildings are at risk. "The earthquake in Turkey on February 6, 2023, once again demonstrated that the greatest tragedies are not caused by the earthquake itself but by poorly constructed buildings. Thousands of buildings collapsed due to compromises made in construction materials and failure to comply with seismic standards. Romania must not repeat these mistakes," said Cosmin Răileanu, founder of Vindem-Ieftin.ro.
According to him, although construction legislation is much stricter today, there are still newly built buildings in Romania that deviate from their original plans, and many individual homes are constructed without the supervision of a structural engineer. For this reason, even a newly built house can become a hazard during the next major earthquake.
(Photo source: Oleg Nikiforov | Dreamstime.com)
