From the news desk

More aftershocks expected in SA

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More aftershocks were expected following the 5.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the North West province, the Council for Geoscience (CGS) said on Wednesday.

“Aftershocks, ranging in magnitudes one to 2.5 have occurred and are expected to continue in the coming days,” said Michelle Grobbelaar, manager of the council’s seismology unit.

“We will continue to monitor the seismicity in this area and the entire South Africa.”

The earthquake struck after midday on Tuesday in the Stilfontein, Klerksdorp, and Orkney region and was widely felt.

An aftershock hit the township of Khuma, near Orkney, on Tuesday evening hours after the council warned of it.

Grobbelaar said this region had a high concentration of deep gold mines.

In 2005, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake had struck the same region claiming the lives of two miners underground, and resulting in structural damages on the surface.

On Tuesday, one person was killed and at least 34 people were injured, resulting in building evacuations in parts of the country.

People in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and the Eastern and Northern Cape reported feeling the tremor, as did people in neighbouring Mozambique and Botswana. SAPA


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