On Friday 26 April 2013, slightly before 2.00 pm local time (slightly before 12.00 noon, GMT) the United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake at a depth of 9.9 km, roughly 100 km south of Chimoio and 142 km west of Biera. This is a moderately large quake, and while it is not reported to have caused any damage or injuries, it was felt in Chimoio.
The location of the 26 April 2013 Earthquake. Google Maps.
While not automatically associated with Earthquake activity, Mozambique does sufferer several moderate-sized quakes in a typical year. This is due to its location at the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, which is slowly splitting the African Plate in two allow 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.
See also The magma chamber beneath the Erta Ale Volcano, Earthquake off the coast of Mozambique, Earthquake shakes Lake Turkana in Kenya, Tourists attacked on Erte Ale volcano and Earthquakes on Sciency Thoughts YouTube.
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