Earthquake scare wakes Ghana up!
Rumour of an impending earthquake that reverberated across the country woke the whole of Ghana up at dawn Monday January 18, 2010.
While no one seems to know the source of the rumour, friends, families and neighbours made phone calls, sent text messages and knocked on doors to send warnings for people to wake up and leave their rooms.
One of my neghbours called and simply said, “they say there will be an earthquake and everyone should get out of their rooms and sit outside,” without giving further details and there was no time to ask questions as he moved to alert other neighbours who were fast asleep.
But Geologist and earthquake expert Prof. E. Otchere-Amamoo formerly of the University of Ghana Centre for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Services told ghanabusinessnews.com on the phone that “the information could not be true.”
He said “it is difficult to predict the precise occurrence of an earthquake,” adding, “unlike an eclipse which is easier to predict because it is the movement of the earth in relation to other planets, earthquakes are movements of the earth happening 500km or 700km deep down the belly of the earth.”
He also said if indeed there was going to be an earthquake, it would have happened within the period that people were rudely woken from their sleep.
While most Ghanaians are still wondering where the rumour started from, most citizens would have to catch on some sleep on a Monday morning.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
Please tell those scientist to go back to school and stop scaring Ghana because we are a bless country.
It did happen in Haiti, and is it going to happen here? I think there should be reliable source to spread the news when misfortunes are about to happen.
Haiti eathquake is a message to us all. Let us all repent for the endtime is near. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour
We need educate our people on how to act in the event of an earthquake. But honestly, when your time of death comes nothing could ever save you. No matter the cautions we take. There is something about the Almighty Allah that humanity can never predict. For now it is the earthquake. When we begin to predict this, Allah will send something else. May he grant us all his mercy.
Haiti eathquake is definatly a wake up call for all of us..The End is close..but my prayers goes to the haitians…we pary that nothig like that happen again..
There has been incidence of earthquakes in Ghana.The latest was in 1939 and there is still the possibility. I think earthquake experts should take advantage of this rumour and educate Ghanaians on the issue.
People heard a rumour that there would be an earthquake. Well. I did not here a scent. What if it happened? Anyway God loves Ghana that He would not allow it to happen .
If this was a prank, then it wasnt funny. Because when a real one is about to happen and you warn people, no one would believe it.
on a Monday, at dawn, whilst we rounded up for a busy week, …and the rumour spread like gangrene. For some of us, ‘Twas quite annoying. I thought as much…This whole Climate change thing…it affected even April Fool. It’s now January Fool. Children in my neighbourhood divorced their sleepbeds for an earthquake vigil. I fear they may have to make it up in class today.And if they have an Exam, …too bad. Whoever spread the spread… Hmmmmmm
But You know, rumours are dangerous. When it really is a TRUE ALARM,…i fear.
Let’s take care. We could be our own devils by our own actions. God bless us.
It goes without saying…
We are not ready as a nation for a natural disaster
We have no control over information in this country
…. We need to start being sensible as a nation and take things a little more seriously!
My mom woke me up at 3:30 am on Monday to stand outside as a precaution against an impending earthquake. She had been woken by neighbours. When it turned out to be untrue, people claimed to have heard the news on BBC, Peace Fm and others. I think authorities should investigate this rumor and bring those who started it to book. A similar rumor alleging that receiving cell phone calls made people insane (started by peace fm) spread fear and strained communication in the country. If this continues, people will not follow government precautionary measures in the face or a real catastrophe.
joe Accra
Well my door was also banged at by a lovely friend. During that time I was having some revelations from God. I decided not to wake up but shouts from here and there made me to join the people outside. Then I remembered what my Geography Master taught me about earthquake. I was then taken to another level and left the people for my room.
Many people began to ask my wife of my where about. Just then did I remember the saying “to every rumor their is a little element of truth”. I quickly rushed out of my room to back to the people outside. As they see me come, many began to run for their life thinking that I had experienced the earthquake in my room.
GHANAIAN S ARE SO STUPID COMMON THING THEY WILL BE SO CONFUSED IN LIFE WHAT THE HELL DID THEY MEAN .
KWAKU ACCRA
God loves everywhere but it did happen in some places. Let us just pray it doesn’t happen here
I actually think its funny because I didn’t hear any announcement so I was working at that time. However I hear a lot of people rushing out of my compound. I was least worried.
I think it was good however that people got out of their houses.
this is serious.if a thing like this should happen its the goelogical service that must announce it but not just anybody.i think its time the information service department educate the citizens more on signs of earthquakes
well i wasnt in gh but i heard the news that morning. i quickly called my parents and later my grandma. my mum told me to calm down bcos she knew they were just rumours on the other hand my grandma told me she knew that there will be an earthquake but she wasnt steppin a foot outside bcos she didnt blieve it was her tym to die…. can u imagine!
are you sure Amoako-Frimpong ? i’m pretty sure i felt more than one earthquake in ghana between the years 1998 and 2000. anyway this was either a stupid prank, or someone believed he had an “epiphany” or something lol
that was scareyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy