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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau

A 4,6 magnitude earthquake hit Kariba and surrounding areas causing extensive damage to some properties including a school in Binga.

The earthquake, whose epicentre was determined to be in Lake Kariba, hit the area mid-morning on Tuesday.

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) confirmed the earthquake, which was felt by several people.

“There was an earthquake in Lake Kariba (Binga Area) on the 24th May 2022 at 11:15am local time (0915 UTC),” said a statement from MSD.

“Preliminary location shows that the earthquake occurred at Latitude —17.815S and Longitude 27.147E and the magnitude was determined to be 4,6. The epicentre is in Lake Kariba.”

Tremors were felt in Kariba and Binga.

Slight damages were reported at Samende Primary School in Binga.

Further investigations to determine the intensity are underway.

Kariba and the Zambezi Basin area experience seismic activity that varies in intensity from moderate to intense earthquakes attributed to movements in water levels in Lake Kariba.

The lake and surrounding areas fall in the Mid-Zambezi basin which is believed to be a dormant southern extension of the East Africa Rift system.

The earthquake was also corroborated by the United States Geological Survey and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

Other areas where the tremors were felt were in Sinasongwe, nearly 50km from the epicentre, Kamativi and Maamba.