September 26, 1990 Earthquake: Welkom, South Africa
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck Welkom, South Africa on September 26, 1990 at 23:08:23 UTC, 5 km below the surface. It killed 2 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- September 26, 1990
- Time
- 23:08:23 UTC
- Place
- Welkom, South Africa
- Magnitude
- 4.2 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 5 km (3 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 28.014° S, 26.727° E
- Country
- South Africa
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 5
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Two people killed and five injured in a mine in the Welkam area. Slight damage in the Welkam are. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 21, 1997, Avgold'S Hartebeestfontein Mine, South Africa
- October 18, 1990, Charletonville, South Africa
- May 3, 2018, West Rand, South Africa
- December 8, 1976, South Africa
- March 9, 2005, Klerksdorp, Stilfontein, South Africa
- December 6, 2009, Carletonville, South Africa
- August 5, 2014, Orkney, South Africa
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5259.