Sudan geological body warns of seismic activity near dams

January 10, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s geological authority has warned of tectonic activity near the Roseires Dam and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) despite previous assurances that the area was stable.

The Geological Research Authority of Sudan said seismic monitoring had detected activity in the area. The East African Rift passes through eastern Ethiopia, some 500 km (310 miles) east of Addis Ababa and more than 1,000 km (620 miles) east of the GERD.

“The tectonic activity in the area of the GERD and Roseires dams could have repercussions on the region if moderate or strong tremors occur due to the high number of earthquakes recorded in the dam’s reservoir during the monitoring period,” the authority said in a statement carried by Sudan’s state news agency SUNA on Friday.

The GERD is over 20 km (12 miles) from the Sudanese border and about 100 km (62 miles) from the Roseires Dam inside Sudan.

The authority said the seismic activity in the Roseires Dam reservoir was consistent with “reservoir-induced seismicity”, where artificial lakes lead to changes in the tectonic environment and fault systems in the region.

Ethiopia has experienced a series of earthquakes in recent days, the most significant of which was a 5.8-magnitude quake in Addis Ababa last Saturday.

There are concerns about potential damage to the GERD, which holds back a huge reservoir with a 74 billion cubic meters capacity.

The Sudanese authority also confirmed an earthquake at midnight on Tuesday near the Roseires Dam, but did not specify its strength. Residents of Roseires and Ed-Damazin in Blue Nile state felt the tremor.

The authority added that the Rapid Support Forces had destroyed the centre of the Sudanese Seismic Monitoring Network in Khartoum and looted several monitoring stations in other states.