Ethiopia: A magnitude-4.9 earthquake occurs in the Oromia Region Oct. 6

A magnitude-4.9 earthquake occurred in the Oromia region of Ethiopia at 20:10 Oct. 6. The epicenter was about 23 km (14 miles) northeast of Awash. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout central Ethiopia. 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. 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.