The earthquake occurred on Monday evening, with residents reporting light but noticeable tremors.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the magnitude 4.3 quake struck at 17:14 local time, about 6km southwest of Springbok in the Namakwa District Municipality.
The tremor originated at a shallow depth of around 10km. Typically, shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface.
Enough shaking to raise the alarm
Though seismologists classified the Springbok quake as “light,” the shaking was widely felt. More than 70 people submitted reports to monitoring agencies.
“Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicentre,” wrote Volcano Discovery.
“It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.”
With an estimated population of just over 10 000, Springbok was the town closest to the quake’s epicentre (6km away).
Early indications suggest that no serious injuries nor structural damage has been reported.
Earthquake measurements may still be refined as scientists analyse additional seismic data in the coming hours/days. The magnitude and depth of quakes often undergo minor adjustments once multiple agencies and instruments have reviewed the event.
The tremor released the energy equivalent of roughly 42 tons of TNT and occurred under clear skies, with outdoor temperatures of around 27°C.
Monday’s event was also felt as far as parts of southern Namibia, about 90km from the epicentre. Authorities will continue to monitor for aftershocks.
Earthquakes in South Africa
South Africa is not typically known for high seismic activity, but light to moderate quakes do occur occasionally, particularly in mining regions or along natural fault lines in the Western and Northern Cape.
The strongest-ever recorded earthquake in South Africa is the Tulbach quake of 1969. At about 22:04 on 29 September 1969, the Boland farming towns of Tulbagh, Wolseley and Ceres experienced the most destructive earthquake in South African history. Read more on that here.
