An earthquake measuring 5.7-magnitude has hit the North-West Tanzania, resulting in the death of at least eleven people and injuring about 129 others.
Report says that the earthquake was felt as far away as western Kenya and parts of Uganda, which share the waters of Lake Victoria. Tremors were also felt in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 11 who died in Tanzania were in brick structures in the town of Bukoba, said Augustine Olomi, regional police commander for the Kagera region.
Saturday’s quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles). Shallow quakes generally tend to be more damaging than deeper quakes. Seismic waves from deep quakes have to travel farther to the surface, losing energy along the way, while the shaking from shallow quakes is more intense.
A statement from the office of the President of Tanzanian, John Magufuli said that he was “shocked by reports of the earthquake that caused the death of many people, injury others and destruction of property.”
Recent earthquakes in the area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides. The last notable quake in the region was in 2004 and measured 4.7. [myad]
