An earthquake with a 5.3 magnitude occurred near Cape Town earlier this morning at around 2:51am on Sunday, 22 December, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The tremor was reported by several seismic activity tracking systems, which included the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS).
In addition, the earthquake was also felt as far as into the Northern Cape, 101 km west of Brandvlei, according to BSS News.
The earthquake’s epicentre was 30.45 degrees south latitude and 19.44 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 km, the GDACS stated.
The tremor had exposed several communities to a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) of V or greater, which corresponds to light to moderate shaking, as reported by Swisher Post.
The earthquake has been classified in the moderate category, meaning that it could potentially cause minor damage to buildings, especially in vulnerable areas, and may be widely felt in the surrounding regions.
Currently, there haven’t been any official reports of casualties or property damage so far, with local authorities expected to conduct further assessments in the affected areas, as well as confirm that the incident occurred.
In addition, the South African National Seismograph Network (SANSN) are yet to respond, regarding the earthquake.
In terms of coping capacity, South Africa has a score of 4.3 on the INFORM Index, which would indicate a moderate ability to manage disaster risks.
Since South Africa lies within a ‘tectonically stable region’, earthquakes of this magnitude are uncommon.
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Picture: Dimas Ardian / Getty Images
