By Staff Reporter
January 21, 2020 (Ezega.com) -- The Mieso district in Oromia regional state of eastern Ethiopia was hit by an earthquake 5.0 in magnitude on the Richter scale, reports the Addis Ababa University Geophysics, Science and Astronomy Institute.
“We have reported earthquake incidence in Mieso in Oromia region based on the survey collected from our five stations including in Addis Ababa and at Ethio-Kenyan border," Dr. Atalay Ayele, Director of the Institute has said.
The moderate earthquake happened on Monday about 6:00 a.m. local time and was centered around the Oromo-populated Meiso district but it was also felt in Addis Ababa, particularly in high buildings, he said.
The Africa Institute on its website also confirmed the occurrence of the earthquake in Ethiopia.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages. But, the latest earthquake could destroy houses, especially given the quality of houses in Ethiopia. A magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale is considered borderline in its severity and may or may not cause building damages in other countries.
Recently, a new lava flow was reported in the northeast part of Ethiopia that scientists are reportedly watching closely.
The latest earthquake vibrations were felt in Awash and Assebe Teferi towns as well as in Addis Ababa.
In 2017, an earthquake of 4.7 magnitude hit Ankober town in Amhara region in northern Ethiopia.
Other notable events of earthquakes in the region include the 1921 earthquake that destroyed the port city of Massawa in Eritrea. In Ethiopia, the 1961 M=6.1 Kara Kore earthquake destroyed the town of Majete where 30 people were killed. The 1969 M=6.3 Serdo earthquake resulted in four deaths, and the 1989 M=6.5 Dobi graben earthquake destroyed several bridges between Assab and Addis Ababa.
Four years ago, an earthquake of magnitude-4.3 struck the lakeside city of Hawassa, the southern region’s capital on a Sunday evening. The earthquake knocked items off shelves and walls in Hawassa, jolting the nerves of residents in this earthquake-prone region.
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