By Delux Emmy Alomu
TESO
The residents of Teso were on the night of Sunday, 31st May, 2026 taken by surprise and left feeling uneasy as an earthquake struck the region unexpectedly. Just after 9 PM, many people were unsure of what was happening, prompting them to reach out to friends, family, and neighbors to see if they were experiencing the same unusual sounds.
Since 1900, places like Soroti have experienced sporadic light to moderate earthquakes, often peaking at around 4.5 in magnitude. Thankfully, these tremors rarely inflict significant damage to infrastructure.
This morning, on April 1, 2026, conversations in Teso revolved around the earthquake, with residents recounting their experiences from different areas.
Beatrice Amulen, who lives in Serere District, described how she was asleep when she heard a noise resembling a heavy vehicle passing by her window. The sound, accompanied by the rattling of iron sheets and the entire house, jolted her awake, making her sit up in bed, bewildered by the sudden commotion. She noted that the sensation lasted about 40 seconds before it subsided.
Norah Atim from Soroti City West reported experiencing unfamiliar noises outside but initially mistook them for a vehicle passing by.
Goretti Akia, another Soroti City resident, said she felt her bed shaking as soon as she lay down, leaving her utterly confused.
Elizabeth Grace Akiror from Soroti City East mentioned that while she was watching the news at around 9:20 PM, she noticed her window vibrating, followed by her chair shaking—though most neighbors assumed it was a trailer passing due to their proximity to the road.
“This was so unique to me because it’s my first time realizing this since I was born years ago,” she remarked.
Another caller from Obalanga Sub-County in Kapelebyong district confirmed they too had felt the earthquake, though it was not severe.
Hellen Kyobutungi, also from Soroti City, noted that this was her first experience with an earthquake since childhood.
In Uganda, earthquakes are primarily attributed to tectonic activity within the East African Rift System (EARS), a vast geological fault line that divides the African continent into two tectonic plates. According to the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, earthquakes in Eastern Uganda tend to be less severe and less frequent than those in the Western Region. While the Western Rift Valley is highly active, the Eastern Region often only experiences minor tremors and localized quakes.
History of earthquakes in Uganda
Earthquake monitoring in Uganda started way back in 1918, with one analogue, long period, and single-component station. The station was operated by the then Geological Survey Department at Entebbe.
10 September 2016: A highly damaging 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Lake Victoria Basin, centered near the Tanzania-Uganda border, leaving several dead and causing widespread property damage in Rakai and neighboring districts.
July 2013: Western Uganda and the Lake Albert region experienced a series of three significant earthquakes ranging from 5.2 to 5.7 in magnitude.
February 1994: One of the most destructive quakes to hit the country was a 6.2 magnitude earthquake centered in the Kabarole District, which tragically resulted in 8 deaths and severe property destruction.
