KZN MEC calls for calm following claims of an earth tremor in Durban

Durban: The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka has called for calm following reports of an earth tremor in Durban.

According to Hlomuka, reports they have received so far from the Provincial Disaster Management Centre Disaster Management teams indicate that no major incident has occurred as a result of the alleged seismic activity.

“We are calling upon our communities to remain calm while these claims are being verified.”

MEC Hlomuka has tasked the PDMC to work with the Council for Geo Sciences in confirming specific details about this reported incident.

The province has in the past experienced seismic activity.

Volcano Discovery reported seismic activity between 2am and 4am. Further reports state the earthquake occurred at least 36km north-east of Pietermaritzburg.

“There are no details yet on the magnitude or depth of this earthquake. We expect more data to emerge,” it said.

The Council for GeoScience said there was no information on the alleged earthquake, from its or international monitoring systems.

“The team is currently liaising with neighbouring country stations to check if they have any information recorded,” spokesperson Mahlatse Mononela said.

In a separate incident in October 2019, an earth tremor that lasted for several seconds rattled parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The tremor was felt in Durban down the south coast and all the way up to Pietermaritzburg.