Festive shakes: Earth tremor hits most parts of Joburg

Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) said there were no reports of any damages or injuries after an earth tremor hit parts of Johannesburg.

 It is understood the tremor hit just before 8pm on Tuesday evening.

Tremor

Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said The Council for Geoscience (CGS) is yet to confirm the tremor and the magnitude.

“Earth Tremor experienced in most parts of the City of Joburg. At this stage no injuries or damages have been reported through our Emergency Services Call Centre.

“The Council of Geoscience is still to confirm its magnitude, residents are urged to be safe. We remain on high alert monitoring all seven regions of the City of Joburg for any reports related to the earth tremor,” Mulaudzi said.

ALSO READ: Earth tremor hits parts of Joburg, Roodepoort and Soweto

When the earth shivers

There have been several tremors and earthquakes in Johannesburg in recent months.

In September, a tremor hit several parts of Johannesburg. There were no reports of any damages or injuries.

Two months earlier,  a 2.6-magnitude tremor with the epicentre near Johannesburg south was recorded in July.

The Council for Geoscience (CGS) spokesperson Mahlatse Mononela confirmed details of the earthquake to The Citizen.

“The preliminary results show that the earthquake registered a local magnitude of approximately 2.6, as recorded by the South African Seismograph Network (SANSN).”

Other quakes

On 11 June 2023, South Africans were awoken by a powerful 4.4 magnitude earthquake, which was felt across large parts of Gauteng.

The quake hit the south of Boksburg at about 2.38am, causing homes and buildings to shake.

Just two weeks later, on 29 June, Johannesburg residents were shaken awake by a 2.9 magnitude quake originating in Soweto.

The big one

Last month, Mononela  confirmed that an earthquake rocked the Northern Cape.

“The preliminary results show that the earthquake registered a local magnitude of approximately 2.2, as recorded by the South African Seismograph Network (SANSN). The epicentre was located approximately 8 km, northwest of the town of Komaggas in Northern Cape.”

With a number of tremors hitting South Africa, the head of Archaeology and Geography at Wits University, Professor Gillian Drennan, told The Citizen last year that it was very difficult to predict if the country would experience a major earthquake with catastrophic consequences.

ALSO READ: Festive shakes: 2.2 magnitude earthquake rocks Northern Cape