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Tanzania Quake Kills at Least 11; President Says Many Dead

The Tanzanian president's office says that he was "shocked by reports of the earthquake that caused the death of many people"

A Tanzanian police official says that at least 11 people have died in one town in the 5.7-magnitude earthquake that shook the Lake Victoria region, while the president says that many are dead.

Augustine Olomi, regional police commander for Kagera region, said Saturday that the 11 who died were in brick structures in Bukoba.

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

The statement didn't provide specific figures of casualties.

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

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Saturday's quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles). Shallow quakes generally tend to be more damaging than deeper quakes. Seismic waves from deep quakes have to travel farther to the surface, losing energy along the way, while the shaking from shallow quakes is more intense.

Recent earthquakes in the area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides. The last notable quake in the region was in 2004 and measured 4.7.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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