[8] The mainshock occurred at a depth of 15 km (9.3 mi) and generated a 4–5-metre (13–16 ft) high tsunami[9] that devastated the coastal areas of Romania and Bulgaria.

The earthquake was followed by a large number of aftershocks, which continued until 1905; the strongest reached magnitudes of 5.5–6.0 on the Richter scale and were also felt in southern Romania, including Bucharest.

The foreland to the Alpine belt is known as the Moesian Platform that remained almost undeformed during the three main separate phases of thrust tectonics from the Cretaceous to the Neogene.

[16] The off-shore region of Southern Dobruja, especially the epicentral area located to the south of Mangalia, including the Bulgarian shelf of the Black Sea, has been affected over the years by earthquakes that, in certain cases, have been very strong, reaching magnitudes of 7–7.5 on the Richter scale.

[23] The shock was felt throughout Bulgaria, southeast Romania, eastern Serbia and northwest Anatolia, causing great panic in Istanbul and on the Asiatic coast of the Bosphorus and the Marmara.

[24] Maximum damage was sustained by a small number of villages situated on the alluvial lowlands along the coast between Balchik, Kavarna, Durankulak and Limanu.

Large scale landslides along the coast continued to develop for almost two weeks after the earthquake, disrupting communications and causing additional damage.