Deadly earthquake in South Africa in Orkney and Klerksdorp, 150 km from Joburg

Last update: August 5, 2014 at 1:36 p.m.

Earthquake-report.com
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Update 13:12 UTC : The situation in the gold mine(s) shafts is far from sure. In 1 mine, everybody was safely brought at the surface, which is really great news.

Image courtesy and copyright @ER24potch – damage in Orkney

Update 12:57 UTC : We are of course far from sure but the source of the earthquake may not be mining induced but tectonic based on the experience reports we receive from the direct epicenter area and the fact that this earthquake was felt in a 500 km radius.

Update 12:54 UTC : Every I HAVE FELT IT REPORT we receive from Klerksdorp and Orkney describes damage. This will be by far the most damaging earthquake in South-Africa since a long time.

Update 12:54 UTC : An impressive Experience Report from  an ER reader living in Orkney, the direct epicenter

I could hear it coming.. at first I thought it was just the normal mining operations but then when it hit us, the whole house was shaking and stuff started falling out of the cupboards and off shelfs. I stormed outside to see if my 75 year old father was okay and I found him in the garden. The quake knocked him off his feet and his head hit a rock in the garden. He was in total shock but he is okay. My house is full of cracks. Scary !!

Update 12:28 UTC : 3 people were hurt at a training center in the Orkney Gold mine

Update 12:08 UTC : Some mineworkers at Orkney in the North West were trapped following an earth tremor on Tuesday, said emergency workers. ER24 spokesperson Luyanda Majija said they had received reports that the tremor has had a significant impact on one mine (source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/)
Old buildings, old mining houses have collapsed, lots of debris, says ER24′s Werner Vermaak

Image courtesy and copyright @Noxy_Duma

Update 1200 UTC : We have now confirmation that  a man in his 30′s was killed in the Orkney/Klerksdorp

Update 11:44 UTC : We have unconfirmed reports of 1 fatality. A man was caught by a collapsing wall in Orkney, the direct epicenter area

Image courtesy and copyright @power987news

Update 11:44 UTC : Some people are trapped below a collapsed building in Orkney

Update 11:43 UTC : We have still server problems due to too many concurrent users. We apologize for that.

Update 11:36 UTC : There are now unconfirmed reports that a building has collapsed in Klerksdorp

Small glass breaking damage at the Clock Tower of Klerksdorp

Update 11:34 UTC : Klerksdorp :    Massive shaking was working under vehicle when it started moving in the air ! A bunch of businessess roofs fell in and evaquated

Update 11:33 UTC : At least 2 minors have been injured in the Orkney mine + damage reported on buildings (mainly cracks, no collapses)

Update 11:31 UTC : Klerksdorp : Our entire school building shook and we were thrown off balance. Our school has 3 storeys and I was in the middle when it shook, we dove for the door along with our geography teacher and we were told to evacuate the building. We are on the football field, damage done to multiple classrooms.

Update 11:06 UTC : The earthquake has been felt as far as Durban and Cape Town. Offices were evacuated in Durban and Johannesburg. Our biggest concern is now the many mines and their underground workers in the area.

Important message : Due to the too high demand our servers have a hard time to cope.

Update 10:49 UTC : This report came in a couple of moments ago from Kerksdorp, the direct epicenter area, mentioning severe shaking

No structural damage so far. No electricity. Photo frames falling off walls and breaking. Hope the mines in vicinity is ok but doubt it.

Update 10:39 : This earthquake is severely dangerous because the epicenter is located right below Orkney and Klerksdorp.  The breaking point is extremely shallow, which increases the risk on damage a lot.

BREAKING NEWS: We have detected a strong readers increase in Johannesburg, which normally indicates that an earthquake was felt. Are you one of the people who felt the shaking of this earthquake ? If yes, may we kindly request you to let us know what you have felt and if you have damage or not. Please use the form below.
Update 10:30 UTC  : The earthquake was also felt in Botswana, no other details yet
Update 10:35 UTC : Preliminary data is showing a Magnitude 6.0 (Geofon), which is for sure a damaging earthquake if true. Epicenter is located (preliminary) in Klerksdorp

6km (4mi) E of Orkney, South Africa
15km (9mi) S of Stilfontein, South Africa
16km (10mi) SSE of Klerksdorp, South Africa
32km (20mi) NW of Viljoenskroon, South Africa
199km (124mi) SW of Pretoria, South Africa

144 km SW of Soweto, South Africa / pop: 1,695,047 / local time: 12:22:36.4 2014-08-05
18 km SE of Orkney, South Africa / pop: 145,801 / local time: 12:22:36.4 2014-08-05