On Tuesday night, many Kenyans felt the ground shake as an earth tremor struck several parts of the country.
The tremor, which occurred around 8:34 pm, lasted for about 30 seconds.
Reports of the tremor came from various areas including Kitengela, Ruaka, and Westlands. Residents in Isinya, Kajiado County, also felt the tremors, as did those in Kirinyaga, Kisii, Nyeri, and Murang’ among other regions.
According to the Earthquake Monitor, the tremor was a strong magnitude 4.6 earthquake, originating 87 km (54 mi) from Nairobi at a very shallow depth of 10 km (6 mi). This shallow depth intensified the tremor’s impact near the epicenter.
“I have never experienced anything like this,” said Jacob Mwangi from Ruaka. “I felt like my house was moving.”
Julia Cherono from Embakasi recounted the fear, stating, “We literally had to run outside; we thought the house was collapsing and found people on the stairs running too. That was scary.”
The Earthquake Monitor emphasized that such shallow earthquakes are typically felt more strongly compared to deeper ones of similar magnitude.
Authorities said they are monitoring the situation closely as residents remain vigilant following the unexpected seismic activity.
