NAIROBI — A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck northern Tanzania on Thursday, sending tremors across parts of Kenya and Rwanda as residents reported buildings shaking in several towns and cities.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 09:22 UTC (12:22 p.m. East Africa Time) approximately 19 kilometres north-northwest of Masumbwe in Tanzania's Geita Region, south of Lake Victoria. The quake originated at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, a factor that allowed the tremors to be felt across a wide area.
In Kenya, residents in Nairobi, Kiambu, Murang'a and Kajiado counties reported feeling prolonged ground movement. People in high-rise buildings in areas including Westlands, Kilimani, Upper Hill and Ruaka said buildings swayed for several seconds, prompting some occupants to briefly evacuate before returning once the shaking subsided.
The tremors were also felt in Kigali, Rwanda, while communities closer to the epicentre in Tanzania, including Geita, Mwanza, Kahama and Shinyanga, experienced stronger shaking.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities, injuries or significant structural damage in any of the affected countries, according to emergency authorities.
The earthquake is believed to be linked to tectonic activity within the East African Rift System (EARS), one of the world's most active continental rift zones. The region lies between the eastern and western branches of the rift, where the Nubian and Somali tectonic plates are gradually moving apart. The movement periodically releases built-up stress along faults in northern Tanzania, generating earthquakes that can be felt across neighbouring countries.
Because Thursday's earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth, the seismic waves travelled efficiently through the Earth's crust, allowing the tremors to be felt hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre.
Authorities in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda continued to monitor the situation, with disaster management agencies advising building owners and managers to carry out routine structural inspections as a precaution. No tsunami warnings or aftershock advisories had been issued at the time of publication.