Earth tremors hit parts of Accra, Kasoa

 An earth tremor yesterday rocked some parts of Accra causing some residents to take cover, while others ran for dear lives fearing a bigger earthquake was occurring.

The first, second and third tremors which occurred at 11:43 a.m. 11:49 a.m. and 11:58 a.m. respectively were felt at Kokomlemle, Kaneshie, Achimota, Weija, Gbawe, Osu, Ablekuma Manhean, Mallam, New Town, Legon, Dansoman, Kasoa, Haatso, Kwashieman, Teshie, Nungua, and McCarthy Hill.

No casualties or damage to property were recorded.

Sharing their experiences to the Ghana­ian Times, Richard Yeboah from Gbawe explained that he was in his room watch­ing television and all of a sudden felt the whole building and the ground shake.

“I was so scared and run outside and then I saw my neighbors also running outside,” he said.

Queen Nwachukwu at Weija also stated that, she was breastfeeding her one- month-old daughter when she felt the ground shaking.

“I had to run outside with my daughter since I didn’t know what’s happening,” she said.

Martin Oppong Darlington at Mallam also maintained that he came from Ku­masi and was going to buy food outside when he realised that the whole ground was shaking.

“I started running because it was terri­ble I have never experienced this before,” he said.

“I felt the building shake twice in East Legon, I thought it was a big truck pass­ing by,” a resident whose name was not made known shared his experience on a WhatApp platform.

Another person also said: “Yes there was a tremor. The whole Heritage Tower shook.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) said in a brief statement that it was working on the magnitude and epicenter of the three tremors and therefore encouraged the public to remain calm as those were natu­ral occurrence that usually happened.

Information is being gathered from the monitoring equipment for more analysis, said the Director General of the GGSA, Mr Isaac Mwinbelle.

He further educated the general public to either lay low under tables or chairs or walk to an open space to avoid any struc­tural failures when such tremors happen.

“If you are at a tall building or a bridge it is advisable to get to the ground floor and move out to a safer place so that you don’t get affected,” he advised.

A statement from the National Disas­ter Management Organisation (NAD­MO) said it was working closely with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) to obtain the exact details of the tremors including the magnitude and epicenters.

The statement signed by the Di­rector-General, Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, added that the tremors were not damaging and there was no reported destruction of lives and properties.

“NADMO calls on all citizens to re­main calm, go about their normal duties and would be duly informed of any development,” it stated.

Also, home owners in affected areas have been encouraged to inspect their buildings for possible cracks and seek technical advice from engineers and other building experts.

“Information sharing is important but let’s be mindful of the kinds of informa­tion we absorb on social media in order to be safe and go about our duties with­out fear and needless panic,” it read.

BY ANITA ANKRAH