6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Gulf of Aden, Stirring Concern Along Somalia’s Northeastern Coast

Garowe (WDN) – A powerful magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of Aden early Friday, sending seismic tremors through a region already known for intense geological activity and raising fresh questions about the vulnerability of Somalia’s northeastern coastline.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 12:07 a.m. local time on Friday, August 28, or 21:07 GMT on Thursday. Its epicenter was located approximately 145 kilometers north of Caluula in Puntland, beneath the Gulf of Aden, at a relatively shallow depth of about 10 kilometers.

The quake was strong enough to attract international seismic monitoring, but its offshore location appears to have significantly reduced the immediate risk to populated areas. No deaths, injuries or major structural damage had been reported in the initial assessments. USGS-linked assessments placed the immediate humanitarian risk at a low level.

A Region Built on Moving Tectonic Plates