Moderate Earthquake Shakes Hungarian-Slovak Border Region
A moderate earthquake struck the border region between Hungary and Slovakia on Saturday, February 21, 2026, causing tremors felt across both countries. Initial reports indicated a magnitude of 4.6, but the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and Slovakian seismologists later revised the magnitude to 4.3.
The quake occurred at approximately 13:44 Central European Time (CET), according to the EMSC. The epicenter was located approximately two kilometers from Šamorín, Slovakia, near a field close to the village of Kyselica, according to EMSC coordinates. Earlier data had pointed to the Gabčíkovo dam as the source.
Kristián Csicsay, head of the seismology department at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, confirmed the earthquake to the Slovak news agency TASR. He stated that a seismologist was reviewing automated instrument readings to refine the data and determine the precise location and depth of the quake.
Residents in Šamorín reported intense shaking lasting around ten seconds. Diana, a Šamorín resident, described the experience to TASR, saying it felt as if an airplane had crashed nearby. “The whole house and furniture were shaking, and my friend and I went outside where we met other neighbors,” she said. Tremors were also felt in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where people reported shaking furniture and computer monitors.
Hungarian authorities also received reports of shaking. Residents of Mosonmagyaróvár, Győrújfalu, and other settlements in northwestern Hungary reported buildings trembling and objects rattling. According to reports shared in local community groups, people in Mosonmagyaróvár experienced buildings trembling and objects rattling.
As of this report, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage. Firefighters in Hungary confirmed they were conducting assessments in the area around Šamorín following calls from concerned residents.
The EMSC data indicated the earthquake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometers. The quake was felt across a broad area of southern Slovakia, according to the Slovak Hungarian-language portal Paraméter.
This event follows a series of smaller earthquakes recorded in the region in recent weeks. According to data from earthquakelist.org, several earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.0 and 2.6 have been recorded near Žilina, Slovakia, in the period between February 1 and February 18, 2026. The strongest recent earthquake near Slovakia in the past decade occurred on March 22, 2020, with a magnitude of 5.3, located 264 kilometers southwest of Bratislava.
The USGS provides tools like ShakeMap, which offer near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes. These maps are used by organizations for post-earthquake response, recovery, and disaster planning.
