Johannesburg, South Africa, experienced another earthquake on Wednesday evening, the fourth such event in the last two months.
Johannesburg earthquake on Wednesday, 30 August 2023: Here’s what we know
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The earthquake was felt by residents in various communities, sparking reactions on social media platforms. Here’s what we know about the reported seismic activity:
Wednesday’s Earthquake
On Wednesday, 30 August 2023, several areas in Johannesburg were reportedly jolted by an earthquake that occurred just after 20:00.
While details about the Johannesburg tremor were still sketchy when this article was published, tracking from the Android Earthquake Alerts System recorded a seismic event originating from the Doornkop area.
Moreover, Volcano Discovery reported a light 3.2 magnitude earthquake about 9.1km southeast of Randfontein, Gauteng, shortly after 21:24 on Wednesday.
“There are no details yet on the magnitude or depth of this possible quake. If confirmed, we can expect more accurate data to emerge in the next few minutes. The location, magnitude and time mentioned are indicative, based on our best-fit seismic model,” Volcano Discovery reported.
Social media users took to Twitter to share their experiences and concerns about the tremor.
When this article was published, Gauteng officials had not released a statement on the reported Johannesburg tremor.
This is a developing story.
How frequent are earthquakes and tremors in Johannesburg?
If the latest seismic event is confirmed as an earthquake, it will be the fourth one to hit Johannesburg in the last two months. On Sunday, 11 June 2023, a 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Gauteng, with its epicentre believed to be near Alberton or Boksburg on the East Rand.
This was followed by another incident on Thursday, 29 June 2023, where ground shaking possibly due to an earthquake was reported in or near Johannesburg.
In addition to the recent tremors, Johannesburg faced another scare when a mysterious explosion occurred near Bree Street Taxi Rank, causing significant damage and injuring over 40 people.
City of Johannesburg engineers have yet to find a cause of the incident.
As the situation unfolds, authorities and experts are closely monitoring seismic activity in Johannesburg.