11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
[S07-2-05] Recent Seismicity and Potential Earthquake Risk in Major Ethiopian Cities
The East African Rift is one of the most classic examples of active continental rifts that we witness to date. Active tectonics manifests itself through moderate magnitude seismicity and volcanism in the region. Major cities and towns in Ethiopia are located either within the active rift floor or the nearby margins where small farming villages got highly urbanized over the years which is unintended overlap that exacerbated earthquake risk in the area.
The January 24, 2016 earthquake of magnitude 4.4 Mw occurred nearby the highly populated Awasa town at 18:34:32 UTC which was widely felt all over the town with minor damage on buildings. The Awasa University students panicked from high rise student dormitories and minor injuries were reported. Another earthquake of magnitude 4.6 Ml occurred on December 4, 2016 at 01:56:15 UTC at the rift margin 40 km south of Ankober town and about 90 km NNE of Addis Ababa. It was widely felt in Addis Ababa where a number of residents from different part of the city reported their feeling to the media. On January 27, 2017 an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 Mw ruptured at 16:29:23 UTC, 160 km south of Addis Ababa just on the eastern side of Lake Langano. This earthquake was widely felt in most of rift valley towns in Ethiopia as far as Addis Ababa and it has been a subject of discussion both in the public and mainstream media in the country.
Addis Ababa being one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa and as the capital of Africa, there is a threat due to potential earthquake risk which has never got due attention by the concerned. The Ethiopian Seismic Station Network (ESSN) is beaming real-time data, though limited by frequent power failure and poor internet connectivity, and monitoring earthquake and volcanic activity in the Horn of Africa region. However, awareness in the society and all the concerned is still low which demands a coordinated effort in the years ahead so as to mitigate possible earthquake risk.
The January 24, 2016 earthquake of magnitude 4.4 Mw occurred nearby the highly populated Awasa town at 18:34:32 UTC which was widely felt all over the town with minor damage on buildings. The Awasa University students panicked from high rise student dormitories and minor injuries were reported. Another earthquake of magnitude 4.6 Ml occurred on December 4, 2016 at 01:56:15 UTC at the rift margin 40 km south of Ankober town and about 90 km NNE of Addis Ababa. It was widely felt in Addis Ababa where a number of residents from different part of the city reported their feeling to the media. On January 27, 2017 an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 Mw ruptured at 16:29:23 UTC, 160 km south of Addis Ababa just on the eastern side of Lake Langano. This earthquake was widely felt in most of rift valley towns in Ethiopia as far as Addis Ababa and it has been a subject of discussion both in the public and mainstream media in the country.
Addis Ababa being one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa and as the capital of Africa, there is a threat due to potential earthquake risk which has never got due attention by the concerned. The Ethiopian Seismic Station Network (ESSN) is beaming real-time data, though limited by frequent power failure and poor internet connectivity, and monitoring earthquake and volcanic activity in the Horn of Africa region. However, awareness in the society and all the concerned is still low which demands a coordinated effort in the years ahead so as to mitigate possible earthquake risk.