Coincidence? Maybe. Exactly 30 years ago to this very day, an earthquake shook Welkom and killed two people. Little information is available on the earthquake that struck that mining town in the Free State, which is responsible for about 21% of the world’s gold sales.
What we do know is that the 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck on a Wednesday, 26 September 1990 at 1.08am. Information available on UPI states that the quake hit Welkom and caused some surface damage to the town. Tragically two miners died and five others were injured when rocks began falling on them.
There was a smaller tremor shortly after which lasted a few seconds.
The strongest earthquake recorded in South Africa hit Tulbagh, in the Western Cape, on 29 September 1969. Twelve people died during this natural disaster. The damage from the 6.3-magnitude earthquake was widespread throughout the towns of Ceres, Tulbagh and Wolseley. It was felt at 8.03pm and there were several aftershocks thereafter after.