The federal government has activated enhanced seismic
monitoring after an earth tremor shook parts of the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT).
The tremor was recorded by the Nigerian Geological Survey
Agency (NGSA) on Tuesday.
Reacting to the incident, Dele Alake, minister of solid
minerals development, directed the agency to provide hourly updates on seismic
developments around the country’s capital.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Lara Owoeye-Wise,
special assistant on media to Alake, the minister urged residents to remain
calm and go about their normal activities without anxiety.
He said the NGSA had also been directed to intensify
surveillance of seismic activities in and around the FCT and submit regular
reports for continuous assessment and possible escalation to other relevant
government agencies.
According to the statement, the NGSA’s seismic monitoring
station in Utako detected the tremor at exactly 11:23:27am.
The agency said the earth movement originated from a depth
of one kilometre and travelled four kilometres within five seconds.
It classified the incident as “a light event of I to II
magnitude on the Mercalli scale”, noting that it was too weak to cause
structural damage.
“This is a characteristic feature of a surface earth tremor
that poses no threat to lives and properties except for the discomfort of the
shake and fear of possible destruction,” the agency said.
Alake, who is currently engaging investors in Washington DC,
United States, on joint venture proposals in the solid minerals sector, said
proactive measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of residents and
property.
He assured residents that the government would continue to
monitor the situation closely with the NGSA expected to provide regular updates
on any fresh seismic activity.
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