#DurbanTremor measured around 3 on scale: Geoscience Council

The seismic event happened shortly after 11am and was felt from Umkomaas on the South Coast to Howick in the Midlands.

The tremor lasted about 5 seconds.

There are reports it was a 3.1-magnitude tremor. 

Project Manager at the Council for Geoscience, Michelle Grobbelaar says the measurement seems right based on the descriptions people have given about the experience.

“Usually at around 3.5-magnitude, one starts to get some damages and things fall apart and from what I’m hearing, it just really seems to be a bit of shaking and paintings swinging on the wall, but no serious damage,” she said.

While many who contacted Newswatch this morning were confused about whether the tremor was really what they felt, others were concerned about what they had just experienced.

Grobbelaar has given some advice in the event there is another seismic event in the future.

“I know it’s a very frightening experience, especially since we in South Africa have low to moderate seismicity. So we actually don’t know what earthquakes are really like, unlike the Japanese who have it on a regular basis.” 

“Firstly, don’t panic. Get underneath something that is very solid and stay there until the event has passed and it’s safe to go out again,” she advised.

Grobbelaar says they will only be able to confirm the magnitude and the location of the tremor on Monday.

The Provincial Co-operative Governance Department says they have not received any reports of injuries or damage. 

(Photo: AFP)