A 4.8-magnitude earthquake has jolted the region near Metehara in Oromiya, Ethiopia, late on the night of Wednesday, October 16th, 2024, precisely at 11:11 PM local time.
Volcano Discovery reported that the tremor struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers beneath the Earth's surface, making its impact felt more acutely.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) was the first to document this seismic event, providing crucial data for understanding its effects. According to initial reports, many residents in the vicinity of the epicenter likely experienced the quake, although it appears to have caused minimal damage.
Most disturbances were limited to items tumbling from shelves and a few broken windows. In the nearby town of Āwash, with a population of 11,400 and situated 23 kilometers from the epicenter, residents would have felt a gentle shaking.
Last night, people across various neighborhoods in Addis Ababa had also experienced the unsettling sensation of an earthquake. Though the tremors lasted only a brief moment. This incident marks the third time in recent days that residents have felt the ground shake beneath them.
The effects of this earthquake have been felt as far as Addis Ababa, with reports of shaking coming from areas such as Laphto, Hana Maryam, Jamo, Summit, and Tulu Dimtu within the city limits.
Experts suggest that these tremors are connected to a recent seismic event in the Awash Fentale region.