December 22, 2018 Earthquake: Mozambique, Zimbabwe
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Mozambique, Zimbabwe on December 22, 2018 at 05:37:38 UTC, 16 km below the surface.
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
- December 22, 2018
- Time
- 05:37:38 UTC
- Place
- Mozambique, Zimbabwe
- Magnitude
- 5.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 16 km (10 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 20.643° S, 32.803° E
- Country
- Mozambique
The toll
- Injuries
- 10
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 600
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
At least 10 people injured and 108 houses destroyed and 319 damaged in Mossurize. At least 40 houses damaged at Chipinge, Zimbabwe. Chimanimani, Manicaland, Zimbabwe - CDI: 6; Chiredzi, Masvingo, Zimbabwe - CDI: 5; Mutare, Manicaland, Zimbabwe - CDI: 4; Manica, Manica, Mozambique - CDI: 3; Chimoio, Manica, Mozambique - CDI: 3 (reference #1053)
The provincial government of Manica in central Mozambique said on Monday that 10 people were injured and 600 houses were destroyed in the magnitude 5.5 earthquake on Saturday. Churches and commercial facilities were among structures destroyed in the quake, provincial spokesman Ronaldo Naico told the press. Authorities initially put the number of buildings destroyed in the quake at 108. "After the earthquake on Saturday, eight different disaster management committees were reactivated, some providing food and hygiene items," said Naico. (reference #12319)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 2018The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2018Recent 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 10384.