Tanzanian Earthquake Left A Trail of Destruction
A powerful earthquake struck northwestern Tanzania, killing 13 civilians and wounding at least 203 people.
The 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit the town near hit Nsunga town Saturday, CNN report said.
The US Geological Survey said the quake struck near the shore of Lake Victoria at 3.27pm local time and has a depth of 10 kilometers.
The quake’s intensity rippled as far as western Kenya and parts of Uganda and Rwanda that caused a lot of damage and fatalities.
Accounts of Witnesses
In The Guardian news report, local witnesses shared their experiences with the disaster.
Deodatus Kinawilo, a district commissioner for Bukoba said, “The toll has climbed from 11 people dead to 13 and from 192 injured to 203.”
The local commissioner added in a phone conversation, “For now, the situation is calm and under control. Some people have been discharged from hospital. We don’t expect many more injuries. We’ll see tomorrow.”
In addition, an AFP correspondent in Dar es Salaam whose family lives in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed.
“My brother was driving around town, suddenly he heard the ground shaking and people starting running around and buildings collapsing,” he said.
The After Effect
The after effect of the quake left a devastating trail of destruction. Images in social media showed the extent of the damage. Videos also circulated online showing people in panic and running for safer ground.
Media reports say most of the victims were trapped in brick structures when the earthquake struck the city.
The country’s president also said he was “shocked by reports of the earthquake that caused the death of many people, injury to others and destruction of property.”
Earthquakes are a rare phenomenon in the affected region. However, northwestern Tanzania and Lake Victoria lies along the East African Rift, an area of seismic activity where the continental tectonic plate that makes up Africa is said to be gradually dividing in two.
