4.9 magnitude earthquake strikes South Sudan, Uganda border

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit the border areas of South Sudan and Uganda on Monday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake struck at 9:54 pm near Yei in Central Equatoria state, some 36 km North of Yumbe district in northern Uganda. The quake hit the area at a shallow depth of 8.4 km and didn’t cause significant damage. 

According to USGS, weak shakings as a result of the earthquake were however felt in the districts of Yumbe, some 52km from the epicenter, Moyo, 63 km away, Adjumani, 87 km away, Arua 107km away and Juba city 110km away.

The tremor sent some people in northern Uganda into panic and confusion. Olivia Milanzi, a resident of Arua Central Division in Arua city, says that she felt a strong vibration that left her room shaking. She noted that it was her first time experiencing such a strong earthquake.

“I ran out of my house thinking it was going to collapse. The vibration was really very strong,” she said.  

Hundreds of miles away from the epicenter in Gulu city, Emma Ajok, a resident of Pece-Laroo Division was seated with her son on a chair in their living room when she felt the tremor.

“I was seated on my chair with my son Josh, I felt my chair shaking. I thought he was the one pushing it after the whole house was vibrating, later I thought somebody was driving my car, but it was a strange movement...Josh ran away from where he was seated while shouting 'Mum the house is going to fall let's get outside',” said Ajok.