At least 23 people have died in an earthquake in western Rwanda, according to a report by Radio Rwanda.

 

The epicentre of Sunday's earthquake, which struck at 9.35am (0735 GMT), was 20km north of Bukavu in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and rattled Kigali, the Rwandan capital, over 200km away.

At least two people were killed and dozens injured in Bukavu, hospital sources there said.

 

By some estimates the earthquake measured five on the open-ended Richter scale, but the AFP news agency reported magnitude of six.

There were also conflicting reports on casualties.

 

Radio Rwanda reported that 23 people were killed, but the Reuters news agency reported Mary Gahonzire, the deputy police chief, as saying: "Twenty one people are so far confirmed dead in the earthquake. Two hundred have serious injuries."

 

Ten people were killed "straight away when a church collapsed" in the Rusizi district of Western Province, the radio said.

 

Thirteen other people were killed in Rusizi and Nyamesheke districts and some 250 wounded were transported to various regional hospitals, the radio said.