Kenya was rocked by a 4.8-magnitude earthquake with tremors originating near its coast, the MET department said, causing buildings to sway and people to run into the street in panic but there were no reports of fatalities or injuries.
Small small tremor and Eastleigh folks are out here panicking. No sleep in the city within the city for some tonight. #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/cdnTIdG6IA— Ahmed Mohamed ((ASMALi)) (@Asmali77) March 24, 2019
The tremor was an added headache for a country that last year experienced cracks believed to be caused by weak underlying volcanic soil in the rift region after heavy rains.
Another earthquake tracker, www.emsc-csem.org, reported a magnitude 4 quake in Spain with a depth of 10km that occured about the same time as the one felt in Kenya.
Writing on his Twitter timeline, Scott Bellows, who is a lecturer at the United States International University-Africa, said those in coastal Kenya (Mombasa, Kilifi, Malindi, Lamu and Diani) should seek higher ground as a precaution.
Earthquake felt in Nairobi.
As a precaution, those in/around coastal Kenya (Mombasa, Kikifi, Malindi, Lamu, Diana) should seek higher ground.
Leave low lying areas near the beach until given an all clear after geologists pinpoint #earthquake epicenter.
Possible tsunami.— Scott Bellows (@ScottProfessor) March 24, 2019
Motorists using the road that passes through Fai Mario (sp) in Naivasha have been cautioned against using the road following tremors that rippled through Kenya on Sunday evening.
Traffic commandant Samuel Kimaru warned that a bridge that that links a section of the road in the region has developed cracks.