   | |
| UTC time | 2017-04-03 17:40:18 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 610478084 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 3 April 2017 (2017-04-03) |
| Local time | 19:40:18 CAT |
| Magnitude | 6.5Mw |
| Depth | 29 km (18 mi) |
| Epicenter | 22°39′29″S25°08′49″E / 22.658°S 25.147°E /-22.658; 25.147 |
| Areas affected | Central District |
| Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe) |
| Casualties | 36 injured |
The2017 Botswana earthquake was a magnitude 6.5 earthquake which occurred in theCentral District ofBotswana.
It is the second largest earthquake recorded in Botswana next to the 6.7 magnitude earthquake inMaun which occurred in 1952.[1]
The earthquake which happened at 19:40, local time according to theUS Geological Survey. It was felt for 30 seconds in the country's capital ofGaborone and was reportedly felt in neighboringSouth Africa,Zimbabwe, andSwaziland.[2] At least 36 students were injured in a stampede sparked by the earthquake.[3]
The epicenter area of the earthquake is covered by wind-blown sediments and there is no trace of a fault at the surface prior to the earthquake.[4] The phenomenon was suspected to be anartificial earthquake allegedly caused byhydraulic fracking activity in theCentral Kalahari Game Reserve. This speculation has been dismissed by the Botswana Geoscience Institute saying that the earthquake was natural, taking note that the earthquake was recorded at a depth of 29 km (18 mi).[1] Geophysical investigation of the epicenter region show that the earthquake is natural,[4][5] related to deep mantle fluids moving up the crust and causing the extensional reactivation of an ancient thrust fault.[4] Slip along a low-angle segment of the fault caused a slight ground deformation at the surface detectable only by satellite radar technology.[4]