FREETOWN – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has launched a full investigation after residents across Freetown reported feeling earth tremors on Tuesday afternoon.
According to NDMA, reports started coming in at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 13th October, with workers and residents in central Freetown saying they felt their buildings shake.
The agency said it immediately contacted the Sierra Leone Institution of Geoscientists (SLIG) to examine the incident and determine its possible cause.
Preliminary checks with international seismic monitors showed two powerful earthquakes occurred along the Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on Tuesday:
– A magnitude 6.7 quake at 5:44 a.m. GMT, recorded by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
– A second magnitude 6.8 to 6.9 quake at 12:23 p.m. GMT, recorded by the US National Tsunami Warning Center – just minutes before Freetown reports came in
Both quakes were shallow, at 10km depth, and located more than 1,100 kilometres southwest of Freetown in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where the African and American plates separate.
NDMA said while the timing of the second earthquake closely matches the Freetown reports, more scientific verification is needed to conclusively establish whether the offshore activity caused the shaking in the city.
To handle the investigation, NDMA, SLIG and the Ministry of Works and Public Assets have formed a Technical Working Group.
On Tuesday, a joint team visited several locations where tremors were officially reported, including:
– Africell Head Office, Wilberforce
– Youyi Building
– The building on Siaka Stevens Street housing the Independent Media Commission and Aureol Insurance
– Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs
At all locations inspected, the team found no major structural damage, property destruction or fatalities.
The agency acknowledged that many other residents felt the tremor in their homes but said its assessment was limited to locations where official complaints were made.
NDMA said there is no tsunami threat to Sierra Leone from the Atlantic earthquakes, and urged the public to remain calm, rely only on official sources, and avoid spreading unverified information on social media.
Residents are asked to report any further tremors, cracks or structural concerns to NDMA’s toll-free emergency line 1199. The agency says further updates will be provided as investigations continue.
