Earthquakes in Ethiopia — January 2025

88 earthquakes were recorded in Ethiopia during January 2025, an average of 2.8 per day.

88 reached magnitude 4 or above and 8 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 10 km.

The month's largest event in Ethiopia was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake near Dulecha, Ethiopia on 04 January 2025 at 00:52 UTC. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7,558 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the Ethiopia monthly average of 12 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 37 recorded the previous month.

100% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 0% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

By band, the catalogue holds 80 in the magnitude 4 range, 8 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 02 January, when 9 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M5.8 near Dulecha, Ethiopia on 04 January at 10 km; M5.5 near Misrak Awash, Ethiopia on 03 January at 10 km; M5.3 near Misrak Awash, Ethiopia on 08 January at 10 km.

That is 651% above the 12 events Ethiopia averages per month across the 14 months on record.