The night the Kalahari sand was shaken!

photcredit - timeslive.co.za

It was 7.40pm as we relaxed on the couch in the sitting room. 

At first we thought it sounded like a troup of heavily pregnant Baboons or monkeys rumbling across the roof - but it kept going and got worse!

We realised it was an earthquake.  

We later learnt that this was Botswana's strongest earthquake ever and the region's strongest since the 2006 7.0 one in Mozambique.

The rafters, doors and windows started shaking and the pots, pans, and plates started to rattle and lights started to flicker.  Then I heard a bottle fall off a shelf somewhere.

That was the signal to make a quick exit and go outside and stand in the middle of the gravel driveway where we could still feel the vibrations for what seemed a long time.  Apparently one local resident timed it at 1 minute 8 seconds!

It's epicentre was about 240km north of us (here in Gabane on the outskirts of the Gaborone, the Capital), in a remote area of low population. As of 10.30pm so far no casualties have been reported.  But for sure some mud huts will now have cracks in them.

We've been warned to expect aftershocks!

PS - Thursday 6th April
....from local Tuesday GABZFM News:

Thirty six students at Mothamo Junior Secondary School in Moiyabana were injured in a stampede sparked by an earthquake that struck west of the village last night. 

According to District Officer for Serowe, Onalenna Daniel, the majority of the students were attended by the school's resident nurse while two with serious injuries were referred to Sekgoma Memorial Hospital in Serowe.

Daniel said all the students are back in class after receiving counselling. 

The District Officer further said 10 houses were damaged by the earthquake but so far they have been no reports of casualties. 

He said an assessment is ongoing which will determine whether the victims will need any assistance.

Meanwhile, Kgosi Gosotwamang Keatshotse of Moiyabana says they are yet to receive reports of how the earthquake affected outlying areas, especially cattle posts which are closer to the earthquake's epicentre. 

[Chief] Kgosi Keatshotse told Gabz FM News that the village authorities are worried that the earthquake hit in an area where drilling for natural gas was ongoing.

He said at the time the earthquake hit, a loud explosion was heard in the village, followed by wild vibrations.