District Commissioner Gasten Macheka said: “Houses continue to fall and people are sleeping outside their homes. This one was very violent and strong and the people require immediate water and temporary shelter as we are still undertaking an assessment report.”

The Director of the Geological Survey Department Dr. Leonard Kalindekafe said the district and some parts of the Northern region experienced over 12 earthquakes from 19:36 pm Sunday to about 05:08 Tuesday.

He told The Nation newspaper nine of these took place within two-hour time spacing, the biggest recorded at 5.9 on the Richter scale on Tuesday and depths ranged between 10 and 58.5 kilometres. He said these are from a medium to deep source.

Authorities are on the alert after the quakes destroyed houses, schools and government offices.