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Earthquake injures pupils, damage infrastructure in Nsanje

The 5.4 magnitude on the Richter scale earthquake which hit mostly the Southern and Eastern Regions of Malawi earlier today, has left some pupils injured and infrastructure damaged in the area of senior chief Tengani, North East of Nsanje district which the Geological Department says was the epicenter of the earthquake.

Both Senior Chief Tengani and District Commissioner for Nsanje, Reinghard Chavula, confirmed receiving reports of damages which they were yet to verify and assess.

“Yes, we have received reports of damages but we are yet to confirm in terms of which households have been affected and how many have been affected,” Chavula said.

On his part, Tengani told Nation Online that he received reports that some pupils in primary schools in Traditional Authorities Mbenje, Malemia and Mlolo sustained injuries as they run for safety.

“Right now, I have sent some people on the ground to assess the situation. I have information that some buildings have indeed been damaged,” he said.

According to Deputy Director of Geological Survey, Kondwani Dombola, the earthquake with a depth of 10km, originated from a fault in Mozambique.

Dombola said due to the magnitude it was also felt in some parts of the central as well as northern regions of the country.

There was drama and anxiety in Blantyre as people found themselves running from one direction to another looking for safety outside their buildings. People were also seen in groups outside offices, homes as well as public facilities discussing the scaring experience.

“It was so scaring and a lot of noise accompanied it. Walls and ceilings were literary shaking. I thought the world was coming to an end, I won’t be surprised if I hear that some people have been injured or buildings damaged,” said one Blantyre resident.

The social media was also awash with comments regarding people’s experience of the earth quake.

“I was in a vehicle in a parking lot and I felt like the ground underneath was sinking or someone was pushing the vehicle.

There are many causes of earthquakes including nuclear explosions, nuclear bombs, volcanic eruptions, movements along the earth major faults, dam constructions and mining.

However, according to Leonard Kalindekafe, Associate Professor at Malawi University of Science and Technology’s (Must) Ndata School of Climate and Earth Sciences, in Malawi, the main cause is movements along the rift valley faults.

“Malawi is located along the East African Rift Valley system. There are a lot of movements along the faults of this rift system causing a lot of earthquakes. Most earthquakes go unnoticed because they would be too small to be noticed by the human body. However, seismometers are capable of recording even the small ones,” he said.

In December of 2009, Karonga, Malawi, was hit by a sequence of stronger earthquakes ranging between 5.4 and 6.0 on the Richter scale and a total of 5,126 families were affected, with 1,557 houses damaged. Four people were reported dead due to the earthquake and 186 others injured.

On March 10, 1989 an earth quake affected most areas of the central region killing two people in Salima, six others in Dedza and made thousands homeless.

EARTHQUAKE SAFETY TIPS
• Drop down; take cover under a desk or table and hold on.
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit.
• Stay away from bookcases or furniture that can fall on you.
• Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
• If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow.
• If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
• If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops. (www.nationalgeographic.com)

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