The United States Geological Survey
recorded a Magnitude 5.5 Earthquake at a depth of 7.6 km in western Manica Province, Mozambique, about 53 km to the southeast of the town
of Chipinge in ZImbabwe, slightly
after 7.35 am local time (slightly
after 5.35 am GMT) on Saturday 22 December 2018. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, though it was felt across much of southern Mozambique and eastern Zimbabwe, as well as in parts of Limpopo Province, South Africa.
The approximate location of the 22 December 2018 Manica Earthquake. USGS.
Southwest Mozambique lies within the the of the Great Rift Valley, which is
slowly splitting the African Plate in two along a line from the Red Sea
through Ethiopia, and which includes the great lakes and volcanoes of
east-central Africa. This has the potential to open into a new ocean
over the next few tens of millions of years, splitting Africa into two
new, smaller, continents; Nubia to the west and Somalia to the east.
Movement on the African Rift Valley, with associated volcanoes. Rob Gamesby/Cool Geography.
Witness
accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events,
and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit
organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.
See also...
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