People wait outside PPF Towers in Dar es Salaam after a minor earthquake shook the city centre yesterday. No injuries or damage were reported following the tremor, which sent people running out of tall buildings. Inset: An aerial view of the area where the tremor was felt. PHOTO |SAID POWA
Panic as Dar hit by minor quake
The Citizen Reporters
Dar es Salaam. A minor earthquake shook parts of Dar es Salaam yesterday, sending people rushing out of tall buildings in the city centre.Several people told The Citizen on Saturday that they felt the ground shake under their feet, while some said the tremor, which lasted 30 seconds, shook tall buildings.Hundreds of people scampered for safety from high-rise buildings when the tremor struck at mid-morning. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The US Geological Survey said the epicentre of the magnitude 4.8 tremor was Buuni Village in Coast Region, some 50 kilometres south of Dar es Salaam. The earthquake occurred from 11.28am some ten kilometres below the ground.But Earthquake Report said on its website that the epicentre was out in the sea, and there was no major damage in inhabited areas where the tremor was felt. Some of those who felt the tremor posted their comments on the website.
There was panic and confusion in the city centre after evacuation sirens went off in a number of high-rise buildings, which were full of people, yesterday being a working day. People rushed out of buildings in panic, and many stayed outside for almost an hour before it was confirmed that it was safe to go in. Mr Rajab Khamis, who works with a bank in the city centre, said alarms went off as they were serving customers, sending staff and clients running out of the building.
“I found myself outside in split seconds. It was only after I had rushed out that I realised I had no shoes…it was a scary moment. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt in the rush to get out,” Mr Khamis said.
A shoe shiner on Samora Avenue, Mr Michael Mushi, said he did not know what was happening when he saw people running out of buildings.
“I didn’t feel anything, and I was surprised to hear people say that an earthquake had just occurred,” he said.
Buildings that were evacuated included PPF Towers, NMB Bank headquarters, National Insurance Cooperation and IPS.The busy Azikiwe Street was jammed with vehicles and people who had escaped from nearby buildings.
Several fire engines and ambulances were seen on Samora Avenue, but left for their stations after about half an hour.
Mr Duncan Chombo, who works in the National Insurance Corporation Building, said he did not feel the tremor, although he received several telephone calls inquiring whether an earthquake had taken place.
“I went out of the building and saw many people on the streets. I realised that something unusual must have happened,” he said.Several people posted their comments on the Earthquake Report website almost immediately after the tremor.“I have been thru an earthquake of 8.1 magnitude in Gujarat (India) and hence I immediately felt the swaying twice just seconds apart,” one wrote.
“I am currently in my office on the 8th floor of my building located in the centre of Dar es Salaam. When the quake happened I felt a gentle rocking of my chair followed by a gentle swaying of the building from side to side, which lasted for 1 minute or so. So far no aftershocks have been felt and everything feels normal,” another said.
“I was on the 5th floor of one of the buildings in Dar es Salaam, Azikiwe Street, at the city centre. I felt some light shaking of my body, only to realise later that everything around me was shaking as well. I had headphones on, so I didn’t hear any sound (as a result of the tremor), but I could see the furniture shake a bit. The building has several offices and most of the staff ran towards the gate. The tremor lasted for about 50 seconds to one minute,” another witness wrote.
Tanzania Metrological Agency had not issued a statement by the time we went to press.
Reported by Mkinga Mkinga and Frank Kimboy
Epicentre Dar es Salaam, Tanzania earthquake on 10 June 2011
Watch 'The Mukhtar Narrative / Mukhtar Nama' on Ask - a series narrating Mukhtar al-Thaqafi's revenge for Karbala.
- By BatoolM