5.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Lake Tanganyika region in Zambia

The region lies in the Great Rift Valley, a massive geographical feature created by shifting of tectonic plates and volcanic activity.

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit near Africa’s Lake Tanganyika early Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with the epicentre in northen Zambia.

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit near Africa’s Lake Tanganyika on February 25.

The quake, which was 10 kilometres (six miles) deep, struck at 00:32 GMT about 45 kilometres from the Zambian town of Kaputa, which lies near the borders of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In December 2005, a powerful earthquake struck the Lake Tanganyika region of East Africa.

That 6.8-magnitude quake shook buildings in cities throughout the east and central African region.

Much of the eastern African region lies in the Great Rift Valley, a massive geographical feature created by shifting of tectonic plates and volcanic activity.