Western Cape Residents Feel Tremors After 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northern Cape

Western Cape residents felt tremors on Sunday morning after a 5.5 magnitude earthquake was reported in the Northern Cape. The earthquake occurred 120 km north-northwest of Calvinia at a depth of 10 km.

"A magnitude 5.5 earthquake took place 120km NNW of Calvinia, South Africa at 00:51 UTC (12 minutes ago). The depth was 10km and was reported by EMSC," according to Earthquake Alerts on X (formerly known as Twitter).

There were no reports of deaths, injuries, or property damage. Geologists have warned that South Africa could experience larger earthquakes, particularly due to deep mining activity. South Africa has historically not had many high-magnitude quakes. The tremor was felt as far as Cape Town.

An X user shared concerns about seismic activity, pointing out that the tremors in the Northern Cape should raise concerns about the Vaalputs nuclear waste site in Namaqualand, located just 230 km from Calvinia, where low-level radioactive waste from Koeberg is stored.

Residents in the Cape metro and Cape Flats confirmed feeling the tremor, and others from areas a few hours from Cape Town also reported it. One user from Clanwilliam in the Western Cape said they felt it and searched for more information, while another from George also reported feeling the tremor.

Last week, the City of Johannesburg's Emergency Management Services (EMS) reported that no injuries or damage were caused by the earth tremor on Dec. 17. Spokesperson for Joburg EMS Robert Mulaudzi mentioned that the Council of Geoscience has not yet confirmed the tremor's magnitude.

South Africa is not known for frequent or high-magnitude earthquakes, but the country has experienced occasional seismic activity.

The most massive quakes in the country's history have been of moderate magnitude, often linked to mining activities, particularly in the gold and platinum mining regions. The strongest recorded earthquake occurred in 1969 near Ceres in the Western Cape, with a magnitude of 6.3, causing minor damage and some injuries.

South Africa lies on the African tectonic plate, where seismic activity is generally low compared to other regions like Japan or California. However, earthquakes do occasionally occur, with smaller tremors felt in areas like the Northern Cape and Western Cape.