Earth tremor hits Weija, Adabraka, other areas
The Director of the Geological Survey Department (GSD), Mr John Agyei Duodu, has said that Thursday night’s earth tremor at Weija and its environs in the Accra metropolis was an indication that those areas were prone to earthquake.
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He, therefore, cautioned residents and developers on their choice of location for the construction of permanent buildings.
The earth tremor occurred around 8 p.m. on Thursday and some residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic expressed shock at the vibration and movement of their houses as the tremor swept through their homes.
The tremor was also experienced in parts of Adabraka, Sowutuom, Ablekuma, Dansoman and Kasoa.
Earthquake areas and technology
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Duodu said the GSD had identified the swathes of land between Mallam Junction and Gomoa Nyanyano as earthquake-prone areas.
He, however, added that Ghanaians had not heeded the periodic caution given by the GSD that permanent structures should not be sited in those areas.
Mr Duodu stated that the department had the requisite technology to detect an earth tremor when it occurred and rejected claims that the department did not have the human resource and equipment to detect earth tremors or earthquakes.
He cited the installation of digital seismic equipment at Akosombo and Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region; Weija in the Greater Accra Region; Glefe in the Volta Region and Mmrontuo in the Ashanti Region, to help with the detection of earth tremors.
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Preliminary observations
A team of experts from the GSD, he said, had been dispatched to the Weija area to assess the impact of the tremor and from a preliminary study conducted, the epicentre of the tremor was at the Macarthy Hill, close to Weija.
He added that the tremor then swept through some parts of Weija, Adabraka and Kasoa and entered the sea.
“The earth tremor would have been widespread in Accra and dangerous if it had not entered the sea,” he said.
Mr Duodu stated that the preliminary investigations indicated that the magnitude of the tremor could have been more than three, and added that Ghana experienced an earth tremor of a 4.7 magnitude on March 6, 1957.
Observations from residents
Some residents of Oblogo, near Weija, told the Daily Graphic that although the tremor was “minor”, the vibration had put fear in them since they were not sure if it would occur again.
One of the residents who only gave her name as Maame Jane claimed to have experienced the effects of the tremor, adding that “I saw a small crack in my roof”.