Geological Research Explains Earthquake in Merowe Area
Sudanhorizon– Hala Hamza
The General Authority for Geological Research has clarified that the earthquake reported on Sunday morning on several websites, and felt by residents in areas of River Nile State, falls scientifically under the category of Reservoir Induced Seismicity (RIS), which is linked to the construction and operation of the Merowe Dam and its artificial lake.
The Authority confirmed that the tremor occurred on Saturday afternoon and was felt by residents of the areas of Aws, Al-Ashamin, Sur Island, and several neighboring villages and isles. It noted that the accompanying sound is a natural phenomenon resulting from the shallowness of these earthquakes.
The Authority pointed out that this pattern is similar to what was previously recorded in the Rosairis Dam reservoir area during the filling and emptying activities. The authority reported that the Merowe Dam reservoir area has been experiencing varying levels of seismic activity since the reservoir filling process began. More than 150 earthquakes were recorded between 2011 and 2019, a relatively high level of activity, but one that is known and monitored through seismic monitoring programs.
The authority attributed this activity to several factors, including the weight of the reservoir water and the accumulation of silt, which alter tectonic pressures. Additionally, water infiltration into geological structures facilitates movement along fault lines, and changes in groundwater pore pressure affect local tectonic stress.
The authority explained that the seismic activity in the area is characterized by its temporal correlation with the reservoir filling and operation phases, its shallow focal depths (less than 10 kilometers), and its appearance as recurring, spatially concentrated seismic clusters around the dam reservoir and its immediate surroundings. It explained that the earthquakes recorded during the monitoring period ranged in magnitude from 1 to 3 on the Richter scale, and several were felt by residents, with no significant structural damage reported, except for a minor crack in an old wall during an earthquake that occurred on December 29, 2020, in the Al-Buhaira locality.
The General Authority for Geological Research emphasized that this seismic activity is scientifically classified as reservoir-induced earthquakes, a low- to moderate-intensity activity that is under continuous monitoring and, based on current data, does not indicate any major seismic risks.
It is worth noting that the River Nile State office and the Seismic Monitoring Center have been working to determine the causes of the earthquake that occurred earlier this week.
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