2009 Karonga earthquakes
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Karonga earthquakes were a series of earthquakes near Karonga
, Malawi
in December 2009. The earthquakes were near the northern Lake Malawi
. The largest ones included:
Over 1000 houses collapsed and 300 people were wounded in this earthquake sequence. The 6.0 earthquake could also be felt in Tanzania
and Zambia
. Being in the southern East African Rift
, the 100 km-long Livingstone Fault marks the limit of the Karonga Basin. The earthquakes were about 50 km west of the Livingstone Fault. A research of J. Biggs et al. shows that one of the west dipping faults which cut the Karonga Basin might rupture in the earthquakes.
Karonga
Karonga is a township in the Karonga District in Northern Region of Malawi. Located on the western shore of Lake Nyasa, it was established as a slaving centre sometime before 1877. As of 2008 estimates, Karonga has a population of 42,555.-History:...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
in December 2009. The earthquakes were near the northern Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
. The largest ones included:
| Date | Local Time (UTC +2) |
Magnitude (Mw) |
Latitude | Longitude | Depth | Casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 6, 2009 | 19:36 | 5.8 | 10.16°S | 33.82°E | 10 km | |
| December 8, 2009 | 05:08 | 5.9 | 9.948°S | 33.878°E | 8 km | 2 |
| December 12, 2009 | 04:27 | 5.4 | 9.96°S | 33.88°E | 10 km | |
| December 19, 2009 | 15:02 | 6.0 | 10.108°S | 33.818°E | 6 km | 3 |
Over 1000 houses collapsed and 300 people were wounded in this earthquake sequence. The 6.0 earthquake could also be felt in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. Being in the southern East African Rift
East African Rift
The East African Rift is an active continental rift zone in eastern Africa that appears to be a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary. It is part of the larger Great Rift Valley. The rift is a narrow zone in which the African Plate is in the process of splitting into two new tectonic plates...
, the 100 km-long Livingstone Fault marks the limit of the Karonga Basin. The earthquakes were about 50 km west of the Livingstone Fault. A research of J. Biggs et al. shows that one of the west dipping faults which cut the Karonga Basin might rupture in the earthquakes.