The Council for Geoscience is investigating whether mining activity or fluctuations in ground water levels caused the earthquake, that shook large parts of Gauteng, early Sunday morning even residents in and around Pretoria felt the tremors of the 4.4 magnitude earthquake.
Boksburg on the East Rand was identified as the epicentre of Sunday’s earthquake in Johannesburg.
The tremors, which also reached Pretoria has caused structural damage to some properties. Affected residents are already petitioning insurance companies, while others are in desperate need of counselling.
“It was a traumatic experience and I could not sleep. Even now I need counselling,” a resident explains.
“If it happens again I will not be able to stand because the structure is already affected. I don’t even know if the insurance will assist,” another resident elaborates.
The Council for Geoscience says the seismic event was moderately larger and confirmed Gauteng’s East Rand as the epicentre. The Council’s Chief Scientist Michelle Grobelaar says the aftershocks is normally smaller.
“Since it’s a 4.4 these aftershocks are going to be a lot smaller. And it is very unlikely that people are going to experience this. But if they do there’s no need to panic but if threatened do take the necessary precaution,” says Grobelaar.
Cause unknown
Professor Ray Durrheim from the School of Geoscience at Wits University says the exact cause is still unknown.
“The exact cause could be as a result of more than a century of mining in the area. Now we need to look at the mine dumps and see how much rocks have been removed from the ground. And there’s analysis that is done by experts. They will soon be able to give us a more detailed picture of the cause,” Durrheim says.
Experts, like the earthquake specialist, Professor Herman Van Niekerk says larger seismic events in the future is possible.
“Technically when the earthquake occurs they in a particular space where they were once released. Like where you had it in the past. Or you might have a new break. And this is the release of all these energy and that is the types of many ways of how it forms,” says Van Niekerk.
The Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Emergency Services had reported no fatalities or injuries.
VIDEO: Cause of recent Gauteng tremor still unclear: Dr Herman van Niekerk:
