A tremor measuring 2.6 on the Richter scale was recorded in the south of Johannesburg in the early hours of Monday morning, less than 48 hours after a magnitude 3 earthquake shook the city on Saturday night.
According to the Council for Geoscience, the tremor occurred at 02:27 on Monday morning, with its epicentre in the southern part of the city. The organisation is still analysing the data but believes the tremor may be related to a mining dump in the area, which could be causing instability in the underground rock layers and leading to seismic activity. Illegal mining in the area could also be a contributing factor.
The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services confirmed that an earth tremor was reported in the early hours of Monday morning but stated that no incidents or injuries were reported.
This latest tremor comes after a magnitude 3 earthquake hit Johannesburg on Saturday night, causing minor shaking but no damage. The earthquake was felt in various areas, including Midrand, Roodepoort, Weltevreden Park, Auckland Park, Kensington, Turffontein, and Soweto. An earthquake of magnitude 3 is one that is felt and can cause shaking of indoor objects but rarely causes damage. There are over 100 000 magnitude 3 earthquakes around the world each year.
Illegal mining has become a major cause of tremors in the Gauteng province, with many attributing recent seismic activity to this activity. The issue has sparked debate about the impact of illegal mining on the region’s seismic activity.
Photo taken online
