Tanzania quake kills at least 11; president says many dead

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook the Lake Victoria region of East Africa on Saturday, killing at least 11 people in Tanzania, a police official said. The country’s president said many were dead.

The quake was felt as far away as western Kenya and parts of Uganda, which share the waters of Lake Victoria. Tremors were also felt in Kigali, Rwanda.

The 11 who died in Tanzania were in brick structures in the town of Bukoba, said Augustine Olomi, regional police commander for the Kagera region.

A statement from the Tanzanian president’s office said he was “shocked by reports of the earthquake that caused the death of many people, injury to others and destruction of property.”

Saturday’s quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 6 miles. Shallow quakes generally tend to be more damaging than deeper quakes.