By Ncaba Ntshakala
On Friday morning, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.05 struck the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, roughly halfway between Paulpietersburg and Mahamba.
The tremors from the quake, which occurred at 8:56 AM, were felt in certain parts of Eswatini. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy confirmed the event, providing the earthquake’s precise location at a latitude of -27.297 and longitude of 30.939.
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Despite its relatively low magnitude, the tremors caused concern among some residents in the affected areas.
However, the Ministry reassured the public, urging everyone to remain calm and avoid panic. No major damages or injuries have been reported in either Eswatini or South Africa.
This minor earthquake adds to a series of seismic events that have occurred in Eswatini and its neighbouring regions this year.
In February 2024, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake shook the northern part of Eswatini near the border with South Africa, leaving some rural homes with cracked walls but no casualties.
Another earthquake was recorded in July 2024 in the southern region of Eswatini, measuring 3.8 in magnitude, which caused temporary disruptions in some schools but no significant damage.
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Earthquakes in neighbouring countries have also drawn attention. Earlier this year, South Africa recorded a 5.0-magnitude earthquake in Gauteng, near Johannesburg, which caused minor structural damage in urban areas.
Mozambique, a country known for its occasional seismic activity, experienced a 4.6-magnitude earthquake in its southern provinces in August, leading to localized evacuations as a precautionary measure.
