Africa’s seismic activity poses a growing threat to its future, with devastating earthquakes striking the continent and causing widespread loss of life and property. As experts warn, the continent’s complex geological structure makes it vulnerable to seismic activity, with several countries at risk due to active fault lines and rising tremors.
Africa’s Earthquake Risk: A Growing Concern
Earthquakes have struck the African continent before, causing devastating losses of life and property. The recent earthquake in Myanmar has raised concerns about global preparedness for natural disasters, including on the African continent. Experts warn that the continent is vulnerable to seismic activity due to its complex geological structure.
Understanding Africa’s Seismic Threats
Africa lies on a complex geological structure that makes it prone to earthquakes. According to structural geologist Folarin Kolawole, assessing a region’s earthquake risk involves looking at historic earthquakes in the region and identifying fault lines. The East African Rift System, where the African Plate is slowly splitting into the Nubian and Somali Plates, is particularly vulnerable to seismic activity.
The rift system stretches across several countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique, and frequently experiences tremors that can cause significant damage. While West Africa is often seen as tectonically stable, recent earthquakes in Ghana and Nigeria suggest potential for a large magnitude earthquake to occur.
Africa is a seismically active continent, with numerous earthquakes occurring every year.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), most African countries experience moderate seismic activity, with some areas having high levels of tectonic activity.
The East African Rift System, which runs from Lebanon in the north to Mozambique in the south, is a major seismically active zone.
This region has experienced several significant earthquakes in recent history, including a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Tanzania in 2019.
Lake Kivu: A Volatile Mix of Geology and Gas
Lake Kivu, located between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one of Africa’s deepest lakes. The lake is dangerous due to the large amount of dissolved carbon dioxide and methane, which can be released in a rare ‘limnic eruption‘ potentially suffocating thousands.
Located on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Lake Kivu is the largest freshwater lake in Africa.
It covers an area of approximately 2,700 square kilometers and has a maximum depth of about 485 meters.
The lake is a vital source of hydroelectric power, with several dams generating electricity for both countries.
Additionally, its waters support a diverse array of aquatic life, including over 1,000 species of fish.
In 1986, a similar event at Lake Nyos in Cameroon killed over 1,700 people when a gas cloud silently swept across nearby villages. To mitigate this risk, the Rwandan government launched the KivuWatt Gas Methane Power Plant in 2016 to extract methane from the lake for electricity production.
The Need for Greater Preparedness
Despite active fault lines and rising seismic activity, Africa remains ill-prepared for earthquakes. Experts warn that governments must recognize the importance of putting a network in place to provide real-time seismic hazard warnings.
Africa is a seismically active continent, with several countries prone to earthquakes.
According to the 'United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)', sub-Saharan Africa experiences an average of 100-150 earthquakes annually.
In recent years, countries such as South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya have experienced significant earthquakes, highlighting the need for earthquake preparedness measures.
The 'African Union's Agenda 2063' emphasizes disaster risk reduction and management, including earthquake preparedness.
Gladys Karegi Kianji, a seismologist at the University of Nairobi, notes that governments are often reactive rather than proactive in disaster risk reduction. She emphasizes the need for greater awareness, seismic monitoring systems, better policies and urban planning, and economic investment.
Kolawole agrees, stating that ‘conflict and unrest in some African countries hinders preparedness efforts.’ He adds that ‘we cannot stop earthquakes from happening,’ but the best we can do is to prepare for them and monitor.
Lessons from Global Examples
Africa can learn from global examples, including Myanmar’s recent quake. This includes better building standards and investment in understanding geological activity in the region.
Kianji notes that a lapse in administration led to poor building and construction practices in Myanmar. If more scientific research had been conducted, some of those active zones may have been able to warn people to evacuate.
