Recent Seismicity and Rapid Response in Ethiopia

Atalay AyeleInstitute of Geophysics Space Science and Astronomy, Addis Ababa 

University (Ethiopia)

8/6/2018

Contents

BackgroundsStatus of Ethiopian Seismic Station NetworkRecent seismicity and experiences in rapid responseChallenges in earthquake and volcanic risk mitigation in EthiopiaConclusions

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Backgrounds

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Meghraoui et al., 2016

The most evolved part of EARSPrototype Ultra slow spreading oceanic ridge

Backgrounds …

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5‐6 mm/year

1.8‐2cm/year

‐Red dots represent earthquake epicenters with magnitude being proportional to the size of the circle

‐ White stars represent capital cities

‐ yellow stars show major towns in Ethiopia

Arabia plate

Farming and animal herding and hence settlement more favorable around the rift 

BUT

Backgrounds …

Risk is growing with less awareness8/6/2018

Backgrounds ...

Ayele et al., 2009Belachew et al., 2011

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Seismic station network

Inauguration of AAE in 1962 as one of the WWSSN station and dignitaries and engineers were from AAU, USGS and the US embassy in Addis Ababa

• Seismic monitoring in Ethiopia started in 1959

• AAE remained as one of the world best stations in data quality and continuity of operation

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Current seismic Station Network …

DESE

DILA

ANKE HARA

SEME

AAEFURI

A total of 9 stations

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GERD

GERDWELM

Two more standby stationsWELM

Current seismic station network

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FURI (Ethiopia)AAE (Ethiopia)DESE (Ethiopia)HARA (Ethiopia)ANKE (Ethiopia)BEKJ (RiftVolk project)MBAR (Uganda)ATD (Djibouti)KMBO (Kenya)LODK (Kenya)

All these stations generate helicorders on daily basis

8/6/2018 GeoPRISMS TEI RIE Initative Albuquerque, 2017

8/6/2018 GeoPRISMS TEI RIE Initative Albuquerque, 2017

16 people died and 253 were injured  (daily mail)

Monitoring regional earthquake activities

8/6/2018 ISP/IPPS Grantt Application 2917‐2019, Nairobi, Kenya

Recent seismicity & rapid responseMarch/April 2015 Fentale swarm 

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SEME

DESE

NEKE

DILA

ANKEAAE

FURI

GINR

SABU

BAHI

Clear anisotropy is visible at SABU station

Recent seismicity & rapid response 

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‐The most reported on the media‐There was panic and death due to lack of awareness on how to behave during earthquake crisis 

Wilks et al., 2017)

Recent seismicity & rapid response

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04/12/20164.6  (ML)

27/01/20175.3 Mw

Recent seismicity & rapid response

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04/12/20164.6  (ML)

18‐21/01/2017NASA image

27/01/20175.3 Mw

Recent seismicity & rapid response

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Challenges

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10% probability of exeedance in 50 years2% probability of exeedance in 50 years

Ayele (2017)

BUT‐ historical catalogue‐Instrumental  catalogue‐ active Fault Mapping/earthquake geology‐ Strain Rate‐ GMPE etc

Challenges …

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Bekoji station

Frequent power and connectivity failure

Challenges …• Government manages crisis instead of risk

– Capacity building – outreach

• Episodic international collaborations for naturally episodic activities

• We are missing science b/se of lack of funding for rapid response but risk management, we never had catastrophic event so far and we are not prepared 

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Conclusions• Update the seismic hazard map and the building code from the most we can get out of the data

• Enforce the code by legislation• Build capacity in real‐time monitoring & communicate results to the concerned when necessary

• Establish a reliable civil protection authority in the country

• Government attention is episodic and dangerous for developing mitigation capacity in the country

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AcknowledgementsISP (International Science Program) of Uppsala University for supporting our seismological activity and also financially supporting my visit to Kobe.

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