Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake Jolts Nairobi Outskirts

Residents living on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital ,on Tuesday evening experienced a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that rattled the area.

The tremor occurred at around 8.34 pm and lasted for about 30 seconds.

The tremors was reported in some parts of Kitengela, Ruaka and Westlands.

Other residents reported that they experienced the tremors in Isinya, Kajiado County, at around 8:34 pm.  Some also reported to have felt the tremor in Kirinyanga, Kisii, Nyeri and Murang’ among other areas.

In a statement issued by the Earthquake Monitoring Agency, the quake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. “Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface,” the agency reported.

Preliminary seismic data suggests that many people near the epicentre likely felt the quake.

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However, the agency noted that significant damage was unlikely, aside from objects potentially falling from shelves and some broken windows.

“Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the epicentre area. It should not have caused significant damage, Other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.,” the monitoring agency added.

Seismologists are currently reviewing the data to confirm the exact magnitude, epicentre, and depth of the quake, and these figures may be revised.

Kenya has experienced 29 earthquakes with magnitudes of 4 or above within 300 kilometres in the past decade, averaging about two per year.

The most significant recent quake before this was on May 3, 2020, which measured 5.0 in magnitude at a similar depth of 10 kilometres.

Historically, the strongest earthquake to hit Kenya was a 6.7 magnitude quake on January 6, 1928, the most powerful in the last 124 years.