The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
CHIPINGE residents are recounting the reverberations of a potentially catastrophic earthquake that swept across the eastern border district of Manicaland last week.
The seismic activity, which measured 5,6 on Richter scale, shook the district around 10pm last Thursday. It lasted for less than a minute and reports indicate that it had a tremendous impact in neighbouring Mozambique.
The tremors are etched in the mind of many residents in Chipinge who were ready to chronicle the unforgettable and unusual experience.
A similar earth movement, measuring 7,5 on the Ritcher scale, was experienced in Zimbabwe on February 23, 2006.
A survey by The Manica Post established that though no one was injured or property lost, many residents were left quaking in their boots.
They said tremors slightly cracked some houses.
“It lasted about 10 seconds, but it was like half an hour for us. The earth movement was so scary. I was lying on the bed and the whole house was unstable.
“The house was uncontrollably and simultaneously producing a strange sound, the fear of death engulfed me. I went out when I was sure enough that the situation normalised. It reminded me of a similar experience that occurred here in 2006,” said Juliet Moyo, of Gaza high density suburb.
Some villagers from Hollande Communal Lands (Chipinge East) said several huts collapsed in the aftermath of the shock waves.
One of the villagers, Mr Phinos Mumango said the experience traumatised many villagers.
“The community was scared and worried. There are some heaps of debris of fallen pole and dagga huts and villagers are worried about the possibility of a recurrence. Many villagers are not sleeping in their huts fearing that they may collapse.
“This is not the first time to witness this in Chipinge. These tremors occur very often but people at times do not notice it due to the earthquake insignificant impact. I think it’s high time we ready ourselves for these earthquakes because one day a severe one may occur and kill people,” said Mr Mumango.
Mr James Tuso, of Chibuwe, said the tremors almost threw him out of his house.
“I was almost thrown out. My wife thought I was sleep-moving and when she woke me up it was when reality dawned on us that the earth was moving.”
More people confirmed the same experience.
“It was like a huge aeroplane had crashed at the roof top of our house. We are relieved though that no damage was caused in our area,” said Mr Tuso.
Revellers were not spared either.
“Though we were at a noisy joint, most patrons felt the earth movements. Only a few people did not notice this,” said a local reveller.
Residents of Espunga Beira in Mozambique, a town that is four kilometres from the Zimbabwe border, reportedly took to the streets after the tremors.
The area is believed to be the epicentre of the earthquake.
The earthquake, according to US Geographical Survey (USGS), occurred at a depth of 10 km at 2205 hrs.
Mozambique and parts of Manicaland province are within the line of the weakness of the Great East Coast Rift System which extends to the Red Sea.
On August 23, 2016, an earthquake measuring 4,1 was experienced in Karoi.
