Two Weak Earthquakes Wake Zagreb Residents: "It Felt Much Stronger Than Reported"
The Seismological Service recorded two earthquakes with magnitudes up to 2.3 in the Medvednica foothills zone, and citizens flooded EMSC with comments.
The Seismological Service recorded two earthquakes with magnitudes up to 2.3 in the Medvednica foothills zone, and citizens flooded EMSC with comments.
Two weak earthquakes shook the wider Zagreb area early this morning, on August 1, 2026. Although the magnitudes were low, numerous citizens at multiple locations reported that the shaking felt significantly stronger than official data suggests, and many were woken from sleep.
According to data from the Seismological Service, as cited by 24sata, the first earthquake with a magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter scale was recorded at 4:11 AM. A second one, with a magnitude of 2.1, followed just eight minutes later at 4:19 AM. The epicenters of both earthquakes were located in the Medvednica foothills zone. The intensity of both earthquakes was estimated at level III on the European Macroseismic Scale.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) recorded one earthquake with a magnitude of 2.1 on the Richter scale at a depth of five kilometers, about 12 kilometers northwest of Zagreb. The discrepancy in data arises because EMSC aggregates data from various sources, while the Seismological Service provides more precise local readings for both tremors.
Although these were not strong earthquakes, the EMSC website was flooded with over 150 comments from citizens who felt the shaking, as reported by 24sata. Comments came from Gornja Stubica, Poljanica Bistranska, the Zagreb neighborhood of Remete, and Stubičke Toplice.
"In Gornja Stubica, it really felt strong. Much more than what's reported," wrote one EMSC user. Another described the situation in Poljanica Bistranska: "The house shook well with a loud rumble." A resident of Remete added: "Glasses rattled in the cupboard. It was brief, but the jolt woke me up."
A user from Stubičke Toplice confirmed that both tremors were felt: "It felt much stronger than reported. It woke me up, shaking twice within a few minutes." One female user wrote: "I was sleeping and felt the bed shake briefly." Another comment described the sequence of events: "Short but strong. Followed by another weaker one."
In their testimonies, citizens frequently mentioned the characteristic rumbling that accompanied the shaking. "It shook, already the second time. There was also a rumble," read one comment on EMSC. A similar experience was shared by an Index.hr user: "Poljanica Bistranska, the house shook well with a rumble."
