The earth tremor felt on Wednesday morning was caused by shock waves from a regional earthquake originating from the Longido town of Tanzania, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department.
In a statement issued hours after the 10:35am tremor, the Kenya Meteorological Department revealed that the tremor was of 4.5 magnitude and originated 81 kilometres west northwest of the Tanzanian town at 2.574°S, 35.983°E.
"Yes, tremors felt in Nairobi this morning were due to a regional earthquake... The tremors were caused by shock waves from this earthquake," Kenya Met stated. The tremors were felt in Machakos, with the Met indicating that around Machakos County, the tremors were around the magnitude of level IV.
According to Volcano Discovery, one of the institutions that track earth activities, a moderate magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck 91 km from Kiratu, Arusha Region, Tanzania, on Wednesday morning at 10:35am local time.
This occurred around the same time tremors were reported in Nairobi. Although the depth of the quake remains undetermined, it is presumed to have been shallow.
The quake was felt widely in the area. Its shallow depth made the tremors more intense near the epicenter compared to a deeper quake of similar magnitude.
Kenya Met reported that the depth of the earthquake was 10 kilometres and its intensity was a level III, or rather felt.
According to the department, this low intensity meant that no damages were recorded and the shaking of buildings was weak.
On Wednesday midmorning, Kenyans across Nairobi and its environs reported feeling a weak tremor, leading to an outpouring of queries online by people seeking confirmation of the incident.
Most of those affected were from the Westlands, Parklands, Kangemi, and Mlolongo, alongside other parts of the city’s suburbs and satellite towns.
The earthquake was soon confirmed by the Earthquake Monitor, a website known for lithosphere information, revealing that the initial tremors were reported in Mlolongo before spreading to other parts.
"We are receiving unverified early reports of ground shaking possibly caused by seismic activity in or near Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya, on May 7, 2025 (GMT) at approximately 07:36 GMT," the Earthquake Monitor revealed in a statement.
"There are no details yet on the magnitude or depth of this possible quake. If confirmed, we can expect more accurate data to emerge in the next few minutes."
