It caused widespread damage in the towns of Ceres, Tulbagh and Wolseley and led to 12 deaths.

The largest aftershock occurred nearly six months later on April 14, 1970, and had a magnitude of 5.7 Mw .

[1] Damage was particularly severe in the towns of Ceres, Tulbagh, Wolseley and Prince Alfred Hamlet.

There was also significant damage in Porterville and Worcester and the villages of Gouda, Saron and Hermon.

[3] The earthquake severely affected Church Street in Tulbagh, which was renowned for its 18th to 20th-century buildings in Cape Dutch, Victorian and Edwardian styles.