What to do in the event of an Earthquake

People living in Nairobi and its environs were shaken in their houses on Tuesday night around 8:30 pm due to a 4.7 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale, causing panic among the city dwellers.

However, this is not the first time the country has experienced such an event. In 2007, Kenya and Tanzania experienced seven earthquakes in five days.

The tremor most remembered was felt on July 12, 2007, with a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter Scale. Subsequent earthquakes reached up to a magnitude of six.

Tremors were felt in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, as well as in other major towns. The primary effect, like many other tremors, was shaking buildings, but there was no reported loss of life or major structural damage.

The epicentre was close to the Kenya-Tanzania border, near the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai.

While the volcano is surrounded primarily by sparsely populated areas, the densely populated town of Arusha lies within 100 kilometres of Ol Doinyo Lengai.

According to the Kenya Earthquake Report, different parts of the country have been experiencing earthquakes every year since 2017.

The highest recorded earthquake magnitude was on August 12, 2020, in Mombasa, measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale, while the lowest was recorded on February 25, 2021, in Nairobi, at 4.2 on the Richter Scale.

Safety measures to take during an earthquake

Always ensure to watch over people living with disabilities, as they are unable to move like able-bodied individuals.

If you are in a car, pull over and stop. Set your parking brake.
If you are in bed, turn face down and cover your head and neck with a pillow.
If you are outdoors, stay away from buildings.
If you are inside, stay indoors and do not run outside. Avoid doorways.

Remember, there are many hazardous aftermaths of earthquakes, such as loose electric wires, leaking gas, flooding, major cracks in infrastructure, hanging broken glass, and overall damage to and collapse of buildings.

ALSO READ: Floods: Death toll rises to 219 as 72 Kenyans still missing amid heavy rains