Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI): An earthquake that hit Ethiopia’s northeastern Afar region has displaced tens of thousands of people and resulted in one confirmed fatality, according to local authorities.
Authorities in Ethiopia’s Afar region disclosed that an earthquake that struck the Barahle, Dallol, and Konaba district in the East African country’s northeastern Afar region has killed a 12-year-old boy, while six others also sustained injuries, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported late Sunday.
Ali Hussein, chief administrator of the zone, said that the earthquake “completely destroyed” several houses in the district’s Bure and Asgubi localities. He said coordinated efforts are currently underway to deliver immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected communities.
According to local authorities, more than 43,400 people had their homes destroyed and were left without shelter as a result of the earthquake.
Amid ongoing assessments to determine the full extent of the damage, the regional government and humanitarian partners are currently working in tandem to provide emergency shelter and other support to the victims, it was noted.
Earlier this year, recurring earthquakes across the eastern parts of Ethiopia had sparked concern among the public as experts and authorities called for calm and vigilance, especially in areas known for seismic activity, since the region is located within the tectonically active East African Rift system.
On Saturday, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences said an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 jolted Ethiopia at 16:18:27 GMT. The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 13.77 degrees north latitude and 39.91 degrees east longitude.
The Addis Ababa University’s Institute of Geophysics, Space Science and Astronomy also disclosed on Sunday that a series of earthquakes – measuring magnitudes of 5.5 and 5.2 – struck near Ethiopia’s Tigray region’s capital of Mekelle on Saturday evening.
Noting that the tremors occurred at 7:01 p.m. and 7:18 p.m. local time, just 17 minutes apart, and were felt across parts of northern Ethiopia, the institute stated that the quakes originated near the junction of the Rift Valley and the Ethiopian highlands, an area known for its seismic activity. The region has experienced frequent earthquakes in the past due to its complex geological structure.
(File photo shows map of Ethiopia’s northeastern Afar region. An An earthquake that hit struck the Barahle, Dallol, and Konaba districts in the region has displaced tens of thousands of people and resulted in one confirmed fatality, according to local authorities.)
