This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22699004
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Llyn peninsula earthquake: Residents woken by tremor of 3.8 magnitude | Llyn peninsula earthquake: Residents woken by tremor of 3.8 magnitude |
(43 minutes later) | |
A small earthquake measuring 3.8 in magnitude has hit north Wales in the early hours of Wednesday morning. | |
The tremor centred on the Llyn peninsula in Gwynedd. | The tremor centred on the Llyn peninsula in Gwynedd. |
The British Geological Survey (BGS) said the centre point was between the seaside towns of Aberdaron and Nefyn. | The British Geological Survey (BGS) said the centre point was between the seaside towns of Aberdaron and Nefyn. |
People living as far away as Southport in Merseyside, Dublin in Ireland and on the Isle of Man reported "intense shaking" at 04:16 BST but there were no reports of damage or injury. | |
More than 100 reports from people who felt the earthquake have been made to the BGS, who said the majority were within a 100km radius. | More than 100 reports from people who felt the earthquake have been made to the BGS, who said the majority were within a 100km radius. |
Dr Brian Baptie, Head of Seismology at the BGS, said the size of the tremor was not unusual for the UK. | |
"We get an earthquake of this size in the UK maybe once or twice every couple of years," he told BBC Radio Wales. | |
"We also know that north Wales is one of the more silently active parts of the UK. It's got a long history of earthquakes over the past few hundred years." | |
Dr Baptie said the rumblings residents felt was consistent with an earthquake of this size. | |
He added: "It might be felt up to a few hundred kilometres away, people could feel the house shake, they could hear audible phenomena like rumbling and maybe objects would rattle." | |
Graham Williams from Pentir, near Bangor, told BBC Radio Wales: "I woke up to a cracking sound and realised the house was shaking. | Graham Williams from Pentir, near Bangor, told BBC Radio Wales: "I woke up to a cracking sound and realised the house was shaking. |
"I could hear a low rumble for about 15 seconds and then it stopped." | "I could hear a low rumble for about 15 seconds and then it stopped." |
Kevin Clark of Llynfais, Anglesey, said the tremor came as a bit of a shock. | Kevin Clark of Llynfais, Anglesey, said the tremor came as a bit of a shock. |
"I was fast asleep this morning and it sounded like a train running around the outside of the house," he said. | "I was fast asleep this morning and it sounded like a train running around the outside of the house," he said. |
"And considering in Anglesey where we are there's no train, it was a bit of a shock and the whole place was shaking and rumbling, like a deep rumbling sound." | "And considering in Anglesey where we are there's no train, it was a bit of a shock and the whole place was shaking and rumbling, like a deep rumbling sound." |
He added that his 14-year-old daughter woke up to find her chandelier-style light shaking violently. | |
North Wales was also hit by a smaller earthquake in Caernarfon in February measuring 2.3 magnitude. | |
The latest tremor is just a few miles from the point on the Llyn Peninsula where an earthquake struck in July 1984 with a magnitude of 5.4. | |
It was the most powerful recorded in mainland Britain in the last 200 years. | |
Dr Baptie said there was no evidence to suggest the number of earthquakes was increasing. | |
"All of the data we've collected over the last 30 or 40 years and historical data going back hundreds of years doesn't bear that out at all," he added. | |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |