Alake urges calm after Abuja tremor, orders hourly updates

Dele Alake, Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has called for calm among residents of the Federal Capital Territory following an earth tremor that shook parts of Abuja on Tuesday. The minister has instructed the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to supply him with hourly updates on seismic activities around the capital.

The directive, issued via a statement from his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, aims for continuous assessment and potential engagement with relevant government agencies. The NGSA had previously confirmed that buildings in Abuja experienced vibrations on August 4. The tremor, detected at 11:23:27 a.m., originated from a depth of one kilometer and traveled four kilometers within five seconds.

Despite being in Washington D.C. for talks with American investors, Alake assured residents that proactive measures are in place to protect lives and property. The NGSA classified the event as a "light event of I to II magnitude on the Mercalli scale," noting it causes discomfort and fear but poses no threat of significant destruction. The agency continues to monitor the situation, encouraging residents to resume normal activities without fear. While earth tremors are uncommon in Nigeria, they have been intermittently recorded in the Federal Capital Territory and neighboring states. Experts generally agree that these tremors are of low intensity and have not caused substantial damage.

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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.