Strong and shallow M6.0 earthquake hits near Fentale volcano, Ethiopia
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit near Fentale volcano, Ethiopia at 20:28 UTC (23:28 LT) on February 14, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
The epicenter was located near Fentale volcano, 6.6 km (4.1 miles) NNE of Metahara (population 23 403), Oromiya, and 26 km (16 miles) W of Awash (population 11 415), Afar, Ethiopia.
45 000 people are estimated to have felt very strong shaking, 37 000 strong and 147 000 moderate.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe block and informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
This is the strongest earthquake in the seismo-volcanic crisis affecting this region of Ethiopia since December 22, 2024. The quakes are believed to be linked to magma movement in the Fentale volcanic complex within the Main Ethiopian Rift.
Approximately 80 000 people in Oromiya and Afar regions have been impacted and urged to evacuate across the two regions since January. The government is relocating residents from high-risk areas to safer locations to mitigate risks.
The earthquakes have caused damage to homes, health centers, schools, roads, and critical infrastructure. At least two people have been injured.
In addition, expanding fissures in the ground have raised concerns about the Kesem/Sabure Dam which holds a substantial volume of water. Any structural failure could result in catastrophic flooding downstream and can endanger hundreds of thousands of lives while the dam is engineered to withstand earthquakes up to an M5.6.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
References:
1 M6.0 earthquake Ethiopia – USGS – February 14, 2025
2 M6.0 earthquake Ethiopia – EMSC – February 14, 2025
3 Intense seismo-volcanic crisis near Dofen volcano forces thousands to evacuate, Ethiopia – The Watchers – January 4, 2025
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