Reports say an earthquake near Ushirombo in north-western Tanzania was felt in parts of Kenya and Rwanda on Thursday, November 5, while early magnitude estimates differ and damage assessments remain incomplete.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially put the quake at magnitude 5.6 before revising its preliminary estimate to 5.2, Kenyans.co.ke reported. A separate VolcanoDiscovery listing, citing US Geological Survey data, gave a manually revised magnitude of 5.1. The Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), as reported by The New Times, put it at 6.4. The estimates are not consistent, and the final magnitude is unclear.
The quake was recorded at about 12:22 p.m. Tanzania time near Ushirombo, in the Lake Victoria region. Kenya’s report said tremors were felt in Nairobi, Kiambu, Murang’a and Kajiado at about 12:27 p.m. East Africa Time. Residents in Kigali also reported shaking, while preliminary alerts cited by the Kenyan outlet indicated light to weak tremors in parts of Uganda and Burundi.
RMB said the earthquake lasted about 30 seconds and was felt in parts of Rwanda. It reported no damage so far and said follow-up was ongoing. Separately, Kenyans.co.ke said no injuries or property damage had been reported in connection with the tremor in Kenya at the time of publication. These reports do not establish the full impact in Tanzania or across the region.
The event’s final magnitude, the extent of any damage and the outcome of follow-up assessments remain unknown. The available reports describe a developing situation, and early seismic estimates may be revised as data are reviewed.
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