Great
Earthquakes In Diverse Places
Series of strong earthquakes hit Eritrea � Ethiopia border
region
By BNO News
ASMARA, ERITREA (BNO NEWS) -- A series of earthquakes struck the
Eritrea - Ethiopia border region on Sunday evening, seismologists
said, but it was not immediately known if there was damage or if
there were casualties.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a total of 14�
earthquakes in the border area on Sunday evening, with the
strongest being two 5.7-magnitude earthquakes which were both
centered in Eritrea.
The series of earthquakes began at 6.37 p.m. local time (1537 GMT)
when a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck about 128 kilometers (79
miles) west-northwest of Assab, a port city in the Southern Red
Sea region of Eritrea. It struck about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
deep, making it a shallow earthquake.
The earthquake was followed by seven more earthquakes between
magnitudes 4.5 and 4.8 on the Richter scale during the next 2.5
hours. Those were then followed by three earthquakes with
magnitudes of 4.7, 4.8, and 5.0.
Soon after, at 11.32 p.m. local time (2032 GMT), a strong
5.7-magnitude earthquake struck about 123 kilometers (76 miles)
west-northwest of Assab at a depth of 10.1 kilometers (6.3 miles).
It was quickly followed by another 5.7-magnitude earthquake, as
well as a 4.5-magnitude earthquake.
There were no immediate reports from the region, but the USGS said
there was a possibility of damage and casualties as a result of
the earthquakes. It estimated that some 18,000 people may have
felt moderate to strong shaking as a result of the 5.7-magnitude
earthquakes, while 3.6 million others were estimated to have
perceived light shaking.
Earthquakes in Africa are rare earthquakes, but similar events
have happened before in the region. On July 20, 1884, a strong
6.2-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Massawa, Eritrea. Scores
of homes in the region were destroyed but there were no confirmed
reports of fatalities.