Quakes Kill 39 in Rwanda, Congo

A pair of earthquakes shook Rwanda and the Congo today, killing 39 and injuring 380, the AP reports. Congo was hit first, with a 6.0 blast early this morning. Rwanda was shaken scant hours later, with a 5.0 shock. “I was at home when the earthquake hit, and the next thing I heard was the house falling down,” said one injured woman.

Rwanda took the heaviest casualties, accounting for 34 bodies so far, according to the country’s Ministry of Health. Some of the dead were worshippers caught in a collapsing church when the quakes hit. Rescuers are still combing the wreckage for more victims. In the Congo, the quakes hit the lakeside city Bukavu, damaging schools, homes, and churches while killing five. (More Rwanda stories.)