Earthquake shakes Binga

AN earthquake hit Binga area at around 0530 hours early yesterday morning.

Binga experienced similar earth tremors two months ago after a 4.3 magnitude earthquake shook the area.

Head meteorologist in the Meteorological Services Department (MSD), James Ngoma, confirmed the earthquake to NewsDay.

Indicating that MSD was still trying to find out more details about its epicentre and magnitude, Ngoma said: "What we have discovered so far is that it occurred at 5:30am near the Binga area."

Ever since the world's largest man-made lake, Kariba, started filling up in the early 1960s, the area around the lake has experienced many tremors.

Meanwhile, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) said Kariba was safe from seismic tremors.

In a statement last Friday, ZRA chief executive Munyaradzi Munodawafa said: "We wish to assure the public and those domiciled in and around the affected areas that tremors of this magnitude are not expected to affect the structural integrity of the Kariba Dam.

"We further confirm that there were no unusual observations made from the inspections that were carried out on the morning of August 3, 2022 or from the analysis of dam safety data that is collected from several instruments that monitor the behaviour of the
dam."

On August 2, 2022, an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 occurred at Lake Kariba and its surrounding areas at 2203 hours.

The epicentre was said by MSD to be approximately 50km south of Kariba Dam wall near Bumi Hills.

In the past 12 months, two earthquakes of the same magnitude and several others of smaller magnitude occurred south of the Kariba Dam.