VIDEO: No trapped miners at local mines
The afternoon started off like any other ... and then the earth moved.
Despite the allegations posted on twitter, no miners are trapped at the Harmony Gold Mining Company, this according to Mariaan van der Walt, the executive corporate and investor relations officer at the company.
Van der Walt says that none of their mining shafts have been affected by the tremor and that the rumours surrounding the trapped miners are false.
Earthquake — expert shares his views
14.30pm
Dr Herman van Niekerk, a lecturer from the Faculty of Science Department of Geology at the University of Johannesburg says according to the USGS National Earthquake Information Center the earth tremor originated from Orkney at a depth of 10km.
He says he was busy giving a lecture focusing on seismology, a scientific study of earthquakes when the earth tremor was felt in the lecture hall.
The tremor lasted for 93 seconds.
“At this stage it is difficult to say what might have caused the tremor.”
Van Niekerk says Orkney is known as a mine town but it is currently unclear if the tremor was caused by mine activity.
According to the site the following cities were affected by the earth tremor from Orkney:
• 6km (4mi) east of Orkney
• 15km (9mi) south of Stilfontein
• 16km (10mi) SSE of Klerksdorp.
• 32km (20mi) NW of Viljoenskroon
• 199km (124mi) SW of Pretoria
Did you feel the earth move?
13.12pm
Three earth tremors of about thirty seconds long felt across the West Rand according to sources on facebook also were felt in Pretoria, parts of the Free State, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and North West.
According to information available on social media it registered 5.3 on the magnitude scale.
Reports say the quake’s epicentre was a few kilometres from Orkney.
No serious damage or serious casualties have been reported, however it seems that people had quite a scare.
Some of the tweets the news received:
Melissa Fourie ?@Mel0831
@Beeld_Nuus Laerskool Protearif in Krugersdorp, projektor skoon skeef gewieg. Kids onder tafels” weet hoe dit voel het eerste vir hom gegryp
Yolandi Heyns Vosloo ?@YolandiVosloo
Aardbewing tot in Krugersdorp gevoel! Van die personeel het sommer uit hoofkantoor gehardloop van skrik #JoburgTremor #earthquake
Krugersdorp – cars going off the road violent tremor.
facebook messages:
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Gillian White Yep, it was heard and felt in Noordheuwel Ext 4.
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Angelique Smit Ons is in Dublin straat, Kenmare. Dit was in Randfontein, Little Falls en ook in Kempton Park. -
Suzette de Beer Baie beslis dit gevoel,my boeglam geskrik,als in die huis het selfs geskud,was scary.. -
Aurelia Rossouw jip all the way too revonia aswell. -
Valerie Dorfling Ons is in skok! Kon voel hoe skuif ons kantoor gebou hier naby Silverstar casino -
Suzette de Beer Dit was oral hoor ek,selfs in Thabazinbie
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Yolandi Heyns Jip – Krugersdorp (Boltonia), van die personeel het sommer uit hoofkantoor gehardloop van die skrik! -
Suzette Hanekom Ja dit was die ergste wat ons nog hier gevoel het. -
Deon Pienaar ek het dit gevoel in Bloemhoff..gedink die aarde gaan inmekaar stort! -
Antonie Rossouw Dit was tot in Botswana -
Maryke Pretorius Baie scary gewees hier in Krugersdorp! -
Liza le Roux Dit was tot in Durban waar my ma woon! -
Angel Blomme Baie scary hier in Sandton… . -
Jackie Gregorio Chamdor Krugersdorp, was nogals scary! -
Ronel Rossouw SOWETO! -
Willem Opperman Action ford krugersdorp -
Shani Cronje Lanseria -
Monica Geringer The epee-center was a few kilometers from Orkney and was felt as far as Gabarone and Cape Town
• CCTV footage of a restaurant in the West Rand (Florida):
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