George George Idowu
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), has addressed the recent earth tremors felt in various parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reassuring residents that there is no significant threat to their safety.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the NGSA Director-General, Professor Olusegun Ige, the agency revealed that it had been monitoring the tremors since they first occurred on Friday, September 13, 2024.
He said a total of 48 seismic events have been recorded, with both their intensity and frequency peaking between September 13 and 16.
The tremors, according to the NGSA, are the result of accumulated stress along identified faults, which triggered the release of seismic energy.
He explained that multiple epicentres were found, mostly located northeast of the NGSA-5 Seismic Station near Mpape. While the tremors ranged from weak to light on the Modified Mercalli Scale (III-IV), Professor Ige emphasised that they posed a very low-level threat.
Part of the statement reads: “The residents of Mpape, Katampe, Maitama, and other affected areas are advised not to panic, as the tremors are generally low in intensity.”
NGSA confirmed that it had deployed a team to visit the affected areas for on-the-spot assessments.
According to him from these inspections and data gathered from the seismic monitoring stations, the agency concluded that the tremors are unlikely to cause any significant damage.
The NGSA is closely monitoring the situation in real time and will continue to provide updates as necessary.
The agency also reassured the public that its seismic stations remain operational, ensuring early alerts for any major future events.
The tremors were most noticeable in Mpape, Katampe, and parts of Maitama, but according to the NGSA, there is no cause for alarm as the events are not indicative of any impending major earthquake.
