Zambia hit by magnitude 5.9 earthquake, Tanzania, DRC feel effects

Zambia

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that an earthquake hit northern Zambia early on Friday.

According to the USGS, the magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the southern area of Lake Tanganyika adding that the epicentre of the quake was in a national park area located in the north.

The quake, which struck at 2:32 a.m. (0032 GMT), could be felt across the lake in Tanzania and to the north in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the USGS said.

It was however considered as shallow due to its depth of only 6.2 miles (10 kilometres).

The last earthquake to have hit the region killed six people in the DRC’s Bakavu region. Before that one, 19 deaths were recorded in Tanzania’s Kagera region located in the country’s north-west when a magnitude 5.7 quake hit the region.

The September 10 earthquake also destroyed properties and rendered hundreds homeless.The tremor hit Bukoba close to the western shore of Lake Victoria and Nsunga in the country’s northeast.

SUGGESTED READING 5.7 magnitude earthquake hits northwest Tanzania

The USGS is a scientific agency of the United States government. Their scientists study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it