Mag. 4.5 earthquake – Harari, 59 km south of Āwash, Āfar, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024, at 11:35 am (Addis Ababa time) –
Updated: Dec 31, 2024 12:32 GMT – just now
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Moderate magnitude 4.5 earthquake at 10 km depth
31 Dec 09:58 UTC: First to report: EMSC after 1 hour and 23 minutes.
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I felt this quake
Earthquake details
| Date & time | Dec 31, 2024 08:35:12 UTC – 3 hours 58 minutes ago |
| Local time at epicenter | Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024, at 11:35 am (Africa/Addis Ababa GMT +3) |
| Status | Confirmed (manually revised) |
| Magnitude | 4.5 |
| Depth | 10 km |
| Epicenter latitude / longitude | 8.46°N / 40.18°E Harari, Ethiopia |
| Seismic antipode | 8.46°S / 139.82°W French Polynesia |
| Shaking intensity | V Moderate shaking near epicenter |
| Felt | 1 report |
| Primary data source | EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) |
| Nearest volcano | Fantale (64 km / 40 mi) |
| Estimated seismic energy released | 3.5 x 1011 joules (98.6 megawatt hours, equivalent to 84.8 tons of TNT) | about seismic energy |
500 km
500 mi
Leaflet | © Esri— Sources: GEBCO, NOAA, CHS, OSU, UNH, CSUMB, National Geographic, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, and Esri
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Nearby places
The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Āwash, a town with 37,000 inhabitants in Ethiopia, in 59 km (37 mi) distance north of the epicenter. People likely experienced weak shaking there. Several smaller towns and villages are located closer to the epicenter and might have experienced stronger shaking. In the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, 170 km (105 mi) away from the epicenter, the earthquake was probably felt as very weak shaking.
The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.
Distance | Place | Max. shaking intensity(*) | Region | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 km (34 mi)NE of epicenter | Gelemso(pop: 16,100) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 57 km (35 mi)NW of epicenter | Metehara(pop: 23,400) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 59 km (37 mi)N of epicenter | Āwash(pop: 36,500) | III: Weak | Āfar | Ethiopia |
| 78 km (49 mi)W of epicenter | Sīrē(pop: 10,100) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 82 km (51 mi)NE of epicenter | Bedēsa(pop: 17,500) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 98 km (61 mi)W of epicenter | Huruta(pop: 12,400) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 99 km (61 mi)W of epicenter | Wenjī(pop: 17,100) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 101 km (63 mi)W of epicenter | Nazrēt(pop: 214,000) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 103 km (64 mi)NE of epicenter | Āsbe Teferī(pop: 30,800) | III: Weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 117 km (73 mi)W of epicenter | Mojo(pop: 34,500) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 136 km (85 mi)W of epicenter | Bishoftu(pop: 197,600) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 153 km (95 mi)NW of epicenter | Debre Birhan(pop: 57,800) | II: Very weak | Amhara | Ethiopia |
| 158 km (98 mi)S of epicenter | Ghinnir(pop: 16,800) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 162 km (101 mi)S of epicenter | Goba(pop: 34,400) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 170 km (105 mi)W of epicenter | Addis Ababa(pop: 2,757,700) | II: Very weak | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia |
| 171 km (106 mi)N of epicenter | Abomsa(pop: 15,300) | II: Very weak | Amhara | Ethiopia |
| 171 km (107 mi)W of epicenter | Ziway(pop: 49,400) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 179 km (111 mi)W of epicenter | Sebeta(pop: 19,500) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 186 km (115 mi)SW of epicenter | Āsasa(pop: 23,800) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 197 km (122 mi)W of epicenter | Holeta(pop: 23,800) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 203 km (126 mi)W of epicenter | Butajīra(pop: 30,500) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 218 km (135 mi)NW of epicenter | Fichē(pop: 25,800) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 223 km (139 mi)SW of epicenter | Shashamane(pop: 85,900) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 224 km (139 mi)NE of epicenter | Dire Dawa(pop: 252,300) | II: Very weak | Dire Dawa | Ethiopia |
| 233 km (145 mi)NE of epicenter | Kharar(pop: 90,200) | II: Very weak | Harari | Ethiopia |
| 244 km (151 mi)SW of epicenter | Awasa(pop: 133,100) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 244 km (151 mi)W of epicenter | Walliso(pop: 38,400) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 246 km (153 mi)NW of epicenter | Gebre Guracha(pop: 16,600) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 253 km (157 mi)N of epicenter | Kemisē(pop: 23,900) | II: Very weak | Amhara | Ethiopia |
| 263 km (163 mi)W of epicenter | Hāgere Hiywet(pop: 43,900) | II: Very weak | Oromiya | Ethiopia |
| 264 km (164 mi)SW of epicenter | Alaba(pop: 25,600) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 272 km (169 mi)SW of epicenter | Dalle(pop: 36,300) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 275 km (171 mi)W of epicenter | Hosa’ina(pop: 76,000) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 295 km (184 mi)N of epicenter | Cambolcia(pop: 125,700) | II: Very weak | Amhara | Ethiopia |
| 303 km (188 mi)N of epicenter | Dessie(pop: 136,100) | II: Very weak | Amhara | Ethiopia |
| 304 km (189 mi)E of epicenter | Jijiga(pop: 56,800) | II: Very weak | Somali | Ethiopia |
| 306 km (190 mi)SW of epicenter | Dīla(pop: 47,000) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 321 km (199 mi)SW of epicenter | Sodo(pop: 86,100) | II: Very weak | SNNPR | Ethiopia |
| 341 km (212 mi)NW of epicenter | Debre Mark’os(pop: 59,900) | I: Not felt | Amhara | Ethiopia |
Notes:
(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models.
User-reports for this quake (1)
So far, we have received 1 report for this quake from Ethiopia.
It came from near Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia with 2,800,000 inhabitants in 170 km (105 mi) distance west of the epicenter.
This section is being updated as new data comes in.
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
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near Addis Ababa (153.8 km WNW of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) (reported through our app)
List of cities/places with most reports
| Place | Distance from epicenter | Average reported Shaking Intensity | Nr. of reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia(Pop.: 2,757,729) | 170 km (105 mi)W of epicenter | III: Weak shaking | 1 |
Note: Only reports with latitude/longitude coordinate positions given (1 in total) could be used for statistics.
What is Intensity and the Mercalli Intensity Scale?
The amount of shaking that occurs on the surface due to an earthquake is called the intensity. It is commonly measured on the so-called Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) ranging from 1 (not felt) to 10 (extreme shaking), and given in Roman numerals as I,II,…IX, X, and often displayed with color codes ranging from light blue to dark red.
Earthquake intensity depends mainly on the magnitude and depth of the quake as well as the distance from the epicenter: The further away, the less shaking intensity occurs.
Read more about the MMI scale!
Number of reports by intensity
| Shaking intensity | Number of reports | Min-Max distance from epicenter (*) | Average distance (*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| III: Weak shaking | 1 | 154–154 km (95–95 mi) | 154 km (95 mi) |
Notes
(*) Reports are filtered to exclude those that are likely highly inaccurate or esaggerated.
Only reports with latitude/longitude coordinate positions given (1 in total) could be used for geographic statistics.
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I felt this quake
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Compare Quake Data
Data for the same earthquake as reported by different agencies
The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
| Mag | Depth | Time GMT2024-12-31 | Epicenter | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 10 km6.2 mi(*) | 08:35:12 | Ethiopia | EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) |
Notes:
(*) A depth given as 10 km often means that the the depth of the quake could be not determined with sufficient accuracy.
Seismograms
Seismic station: Mt. Furi, Ethiopia (FURI/IU network) | Distance from quake: 172 km / 107 mi | Show on map | Station Info
Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.2-10.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool
Aftershocks for this quake
No aftershocks have been recorded so far. When aftershocks are detected, we will update this section.
What are aftershocks?
Larger earthquakes (above magnitude 5 or so) such as this one are usually followed by smaller ones known as aftershocks that occur in the same area during the days, weeks, months or even years after the main shock.
[More info]
What about this quake?
Based on its magnitude, the fault that was active during the quake likely ruptured beneath a surface of approx. 3 km2 (=1 sqare miles) as a first-order estimate. The length of the rupture zone thus was probably around 3 km (2 mi).
[More info]
Recorded aftershocks, latest first (0 quake)
Date and Time GMT | Mag Depth | Distance | Region | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2024 11:35 am (Addis Ababa) 4 hours ago | 4.5 10 km | 0 km – This quake | EthiopiaMain Shock (this quake) | More |
Map of aftershocks
Earthquake statistics
Average number of earthquakes
Based on data from the past 54 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 7.3 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):
- Mag. 5 or higher: 0.03 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 38.5 years)
- Mag. 4 or higher: 7.3 quakes per year
- Mag. 3 or higher: 7.3 quakes per year
- Mag. 2 or higher: 7.3 quakes per year
The area where this quake occurred has a moderate level of seismic activity. However, It has had at least 2 quakes above magnitude 5 since 1970, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 25 to 30 years.
Number of quakes per year
| Year | — |
|---|---|
| Earthquakes M2+ | — |
| Earthquakes M3+ | — |
| Earthquakes M4+ | — |
Previous quakes in the same area of this earthquake
The earthquake occurred 1 hour and 15 minutes after a magnitude 4.6 earthquake had hit on Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024, at 10:20 am local time (Africa/Addis Ababa GMT +3) in 35 km (22 mi) distance to the northwest:
Mag. 4.6 earthquake Harari – Oromiya, Ethiopia –
The largest quake near the epicenter of this quake during the 10 years before was an event of magnitude 4.9. It had occurred 12 weeks earlier, on Sunday, Oct 6, 2024, at 08:10 pm local time (Africa/Addis Ababa GMT +3) in Harari, Ethiopia
:
Mag. 4.9 earthquake Harari – Oromiya, Ethiopia – Oct 6, 2024 –
The strongest-ever (since 1900) recorded quake in this area measured magnitude 6.0. It had occurred 86 years ago earlier, on Sunday, Sep 18, 1938, at 03:38 am local time (Africa/Addis Ababa GMT +3) in Āfar, Ethiopia
:
Mag. 6.0 earthquake Āfar – Oromiya, Ethiopia – Sep 18, 1938 –
Below is a list and map of (larger or recent) quakes that had occurred near the area of the epicenter before this earthquake (within up to 100 km/61 mi distance, up to 300 km/183 mi for very large quakes above mag. 7). Filter the list to limit the number to show, by magnitude or time before.
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On this page:
Overview – Mag. 4.5 Quake
Earthquake Details and Map
Nearby places
User-reports for this quake (1)
Compare Quake Data
Seismograms
Aftershocks for this quake
Earthquake statistics
Previous Quakes Nearby