An earthquake in Ethiopia.. An expert warns of a flood that may drown Sudan

2024-05-16 2024-05-16T12:30:24Z

Arab Weather - It was reported last Monday that an earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale occurred in Ethiopia near the site of the Gibe 3 Dam on the Omo River, with a depth of 10 kilometers.

The Egyptian expert, Dr. Abbas Sharaqi, explained that the dam where the earthquake occurred is 244 meters high, making it the highest dam in the world, and it generates approximately 1,870 megawatts of energy.

A flood may drown Sudan

As he reported, the dam began operating in 2015, and its storage capacity is about 15 billion cubic meters. The Egyptian expert pointed out that “the dam is 700 kilometers away from the Renaissance Dam, and an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 on the Richter occurred in the same place last November 11.” Adding that

“If the dam collapses due to the frequent earthquakes that occur in the region, this could lead to a flood that drowns Sudan.”

He stressed that "what makes the matter more dangerous is that the location of the earthquake is located in the south of the African Rift region, which divides Ethiopia in two, and it is the most vulnerable region in Africa to earthquakes and volcanoes."

He also explained, "The impact of the current earthquakes may be less, but if a large earthquake occurs near the Renaissance Dam, and if there is a large water reserve of 74 billion cubic meters, as Ethiopia is planning, the disaster will be greater."

He added, "Ethiopia is among the countries suffering from landslides, and that the Renaissance Dam and its lake are located on faults from the Cambrian period, which may increase the chances of its collapse if the region is exposed to large, successive earthquakes."

The risks of the Renaissance Dam

The expert revealed that there are many studies that have proven the dangers of the Renaissance Dam, and that its safety factor is very low, not exceeding 1.5 degrees on the Richter scale, which makes it the most vulnerable to collapse if the area adjacent to it is exposed to multiple earthquakes.

Dr. Hisham Bakhit, Professor of Hydraulics at the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University and a member of the Egyptian delegation in the Renaissance Dam negotiations, had previously confirmed that the Renaissance Dam is internationally classified as one of the most dangerous projects, and that the possibility of its collapse is possible due to the geological situation of the region and its inability to bear any concrete construction.

He pointed out that if the dam collapses, the situation will be disastrous for Sudan.

This comes after Ethiopia took new steps to start the fifth filling without coordination with Egypt and Sudan, as satellite images revealed the start of the process of raising the dam through the middle corridor and pouring concrete after it dried.

The pictures showed the presence of two excavators working for the first time above the Middle Corridor, perhaps for the purpose of making bridges or connections with the new concrete, while negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over this huge dam ended in December last year without reaching an understanding that satisfies all parties.