South Africa: A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs near Johannesburg at around 02:38 June 11

Event

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in northeastern South Africa at around 02:38 June 11. The epicenter was about 17 km (10 miles) southeast of Johannesburg. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt in northeastern South Africa, including Johannesburg, and light-to-weak shaking likely occurred in far southeastern Botswana, and Eswatini. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Out of an abundance of caution, consider vacating multistory buildings where shaking occurred until authorities confirm their structural integrity. Monitor and plan for aftershocks.