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Tanzania Earthquake Kills 'Several' People

The 5.7 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 10 km outside of Bukoba.
Algerian men inspect a damaged clinic building following an earthquake in Beni Yellman village, 260 km east of Algiers, on May 14, 2010. A moderate earthquake in Algeria on Friday killed two people and injured 43 others, the interior ministry reported. AFPP HOTO/FAYEZ NURELDINE (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)
FAYEZ NURELDINE via Getty Images
Algerian men inspect a damaged clinic building following an earthquake in Beni Yellman village, 260 km east of Algiers, on May 14, 2010. A moderate earthquake in Algeria on Friday killed two people and injured 43 others, the interior ministry reported. AFPP HOTO/FAYEZ NURELDINE (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)

DAR ES SALAAM - Several people were killed when an earthquake measuring 5.7 hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday, the president’s office said, with a local newspaper putting the death toll at 10.

The quake struck at 1227 GMT, 43 km (27 miles) from Bukoba, a city on the western shore of Lake Victoria, at a depth of 10 km, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

President John Magufuli’s office said in a statement several people had died, but gave no toll.

“The president is shocked at the reports of the incident that has resulted in the loss of several people, and many others injured and property destroyed,” the statement said.

The privately owned Mwananchi newspaper tweeted that the quake had killed at least 10 people and injured at least 100 in Bukoba, quoting a local police commander.

Pictures posted on Twitter showed buildings with collapsed walls and large cracks.

(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng’wanakilala; Addtional reporting by George Obulutsa in Nairobi and Andrew Heavens in London; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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