Truemors
A magnitude-5.0 earthquake struck southwestern Rwanda on Sunday, killing at least 21 people including some who were in church at the time, a government official said.
the district contains large parts of the former Cyangugu Province.
Even the capital of Rwanda, Kigali didn't escape the 'quake - 125 miles away. Rwanda covers approximately 26,340 square kilometres, with a population of eight million people.
According to the USGS Earthquake Centre, though the first quake was near Rwanda, its epicentre was 20 km north of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo and measured 6.0. The first 'quake was not actually in Rwanda (as reported everywhere) where the later aftershock was measured at 5.0.
"Twelve people are confirmed dead but they are still rescuing more,'' said police spokesman Willy Marcel Higiro. It was not clear how many people were injured in the quake, which struck Rusizi District on Sunday morning.
The two 'quakes shook Africa's Great Lakes region - along the western Great Rift Valley fault. People are walking around traumatized, one person said: "We have never seen a quake like that here before. Part of my house is on the verge of falling into the lake (Kivu)"
Sadly earthquakes are not uncommon in the Great Rift Valley. There is a seismically active fault line that encompasses western Uganda; eastern Democratic Repulic of Congo, Rwanda and neighboring Tanzania.
Earthquakes are common in the western Great Rift Valley -- a
seismically active fault line straddling western Uganda, eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and neighbouring Tanzania.
The last magnitude 6 earthqake was in 1994, in western Uganda's Rwenzori mountains killed at least 6 people.
Interesting Links:
How Earthquakes Happen
Deadly History of Earthquakes
BBC Science - Earthquakes
Sources:
CBC News
USGS Earthquake Centre
Republic of Rwanda
Associated Press
Reuters - Africa
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Image Sources:
Rwanda Map
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