Tremors from a Tanzania earthquake reached Nairobi and three other Kenyan counties.
EMSC revised the Tanzania earthquake’s magnitude from 5.6 to 5.2 after tremors reached Nairobi, Murang’a, Kiambu and Kajiado.
A Nairobi tremor also affected Murang’a, Kiambu and Kajiado on Thursday, November 5, following an earthquake in Tanzania. An expert alert recorded the tremor at about 12:27pm East African Time.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) confirmed the earthquake in Tanzania’s Lake Victoria region. The earthquake occurred at approximately 12:22pm, sending tremors into Kenya.
Nairobi tremor follows Lake Victoria earthquake
EMSC initially recorded a magnitude 5.6 earthquake, placing its epicentre 17 kilometres east of Ushirombo. That location was approximately 986 kilometres from Nairobi.
However, the centre later revised its preliminary figures to a magnitude of 5.2. The update also placed the epicentre approximately 14 kilometres east of Ushirombo.
EMSC provides independent, real-time earthquake information. Its updated preliminary figures therefore changed both the reported strength and location of the quake.
Meanwhile, other preliminary alerts indicated light to weak shaking in neighbouring countries. These alerts included Kigali in Rwanda, Bujumbura in Burundi and Kampala in Uganda, alongside reports from Kenya.
Residents describe shaking across several areas
The tremor prompted widespread reactions online, with Kenyans describing ground movement in different locations. Some said they initially thought they had imagined the shaking.
Residents also mentioned Tassia, Pipeline in Embakasi, Kitengela, Athi River, Westgate and Kisii in their accounts. However, those individual reports remained unconfirmed. There were no reported injuries or property damage at the time of publication.
Similar reports emerged in Nairobi on May 7, 2025. Residents in Westlands, Parklands, Kangemi, Mlolongo and other areas described ground movements between 10:30am and 10:40am.
Those accounts came less than two weeks after a coastal tremor on April 28, 2025. Residents in parts of Mombasa and Kilifi also reported unusual ground movements during that incident.
