Up to 250 people were injured and a four-year-old boy and two adults were killed when a 6.0 magnitude earthquake destroyed buildings in Malawi's northern district of Karonga on Sunday.

Another tremor struck neighbouring Tanzania, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), but initial reports said there was no serious damage or injuries.

A Malawian local government official called on thousands of people to leave their homes because of damage to buildings and the threat of further tremors.

"Two people have died, a four-year-old child and his grandmother, after the house they were sleeping in collapsed on them," police spokesman Enock Livasoni said. Another man died in hospital as a result of head injuries, said nurse who declined to be identified. She said up to 250 people appeared to have been injured, but no other patients were in critical condition.

Livasoni said damage to villages was extensive, with many schools and government buildings affected. Karonga District Assembly Chief Executive Gasten Macheka said about 270,000 people had been urged to leave their homes. "We are asking everyone in Karonga not to be in houses or near houses because the situation is unstable," he was quoted as saying by the South African news agency SAPA.

He appealed for government help and international assistance in providing tents and medical supplies.

The Malawi quake, which occurred at 01.19 am local time at a depth of 15.2 km, was the latest in a series in the uranium-rich Karonga district this month.

The Tanzanian quake, of 6.2 magnitude, occurred 135 km south of the town of Mbeya, at a depth of 10 km.

"Up to now, there are still no reports of damage or injury. It was in Kyera district and Mbeya. You could feel the tremors but no buildings fell down," said the regional police commander of Mbeya, Advocate Nyombi.

source: Reuters

photo: flickr/manogamo