Ethiopia: Magnitude-4.6 offshore earthquake occurs south of Awash, Afar Region, at around 07:37 Oct. 13

A magnitude-4.6 earthquake occurred in the Oromia Region in central Ethiopia at around 07:37 Oct. 13. The epicenter was about 18 km (11 miles) south of Awash, Afar Region. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak shaking was probably felt throughout most of central Ethiopia, including parts of southern Afar, southern Amhara, and central Oromia regions, northwestern Somali Regional State, and the capital Addis Ababa. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible 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.